


The Hands Stained with Sin

by Limitless_Musings



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, F/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Permanent Injury, Post-Canon, Time Travel, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-07-07 14:34:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 26,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15910221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Limitless_Musings/pseuds/Limitless_Musings
Summary: Actions must always have an opposing and equal reaction. What one does one day might come back and hurt them the next. In Kagome's case, she's only got one chance to make things right. Just one chance to return to the past and prevent the war between humans and demons that has left their world covered in ash and blood.





	1. Consequences of Choices

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Summary:_ Actions must always have an opposing and equal reaction. What one does one day might come back and hurt them the next. In Kagome's case, she's only got one chance to make things right. Just one chance to return to the past and prevent the war between humans and demons that has left their world covered in ash and blood.

**_The Hands Stained with Sin_ **

**Chapter One:** Consequences of Choices…

Bullets sprayed across the wall behind her. The sounds of terrified screams filled the building. Kagome ducked underneath a felled steel beam nearby for cover. She rolled over on her back and waited patiently. Just moments later a ball of fire passed over her head. _'Damn the Hibana clan! This will be tougher than expected.'_ She briefly thought to herself before jumping from her hiding spot. Kagome aimed her bow and released an arrow straight into the heart of the fire demon. Its body slowly disintegrated, as if it had been burned from the inside out. All that was left was an emerald amulet he had worn across his neck. A sapphire eye narrowed at the object.

She cautiously picked it up and cringed. The image of a dark haired man grinning sheepishly flashed in her mind. She knew this amulet like the back of her hand. She could never forget it. She could never forget _him_. Unable to spend any more time reminiscing, Kagome grabbed what little supplies she managed to gather on the excursion and signaled to her other companions via radio.

"Time to withdraw. Their reinforcements will arrive soon." She tucked the amulet into her backpack and carefully crept past a toadie—at least that's what she liked to call them. They were frog-like demons with little power and a lot of vocal chords. They were sent in to be used as an alarm system for the more powerful demons. Jaken certainly came to mind when describing them, however even that little frog-face maintained more intelligence than these creatures. At the very least he could hold his own when it came to battle. These creatures could not. Her hand moved for a blade in her sleeve. They weren't even aware that they were being used. They merely just rushed to the front line to please their "master" and were killed when they were no longer useful. Often quite brutally too.

The toadie paced between two steel pillars. The building itself was unfinished before the first assault, but it was great grounds for necessary materials. It was supposed to have been a center of the Economic Recovery that they had been experiencing. Before it was even completed, the entire world went to hell. Quite literally. She paused to glance over his position. This toadie was even shorter in stature than most. In comparison, he would only be at shin height of her legs, as opposed to the typical knee-high height. His mouth was extra wide and protruded slightly. A grotesque boil oozed puss from the junction of his neck and collarbone. His very skin seemed have to a thin veil of mucus covering it. Overall, he posed less than one percent chance of causing her any serious harm. However, the little toad reached into his inner pocket and grabbed what appeared to be a stone.

"Fukushu." Kagome heard him say briefly before throwing the stone in the air. It exploded in a funnel of black. From the dark abyss appeared a hand with black dagger-like claws. She was immediately on alert and ducked further into her hiding place. With a throwing knife in hand, she was prepared to go on the offensive should the situation require it. The demon fully emerged from the portal within seconds. The first thing she noticed was gravity-defying orange colored hair. The second was the eyes. They were black like a void. _'He's part of the Hibana…'_ Kagome noted. The Hibana were a band of fire demons that dwelled at the heart of what used to be Tokyo. They were one of the most powerful and ancient demons that existed. Even in the feudal era there weren't too many other clans that could challenge them. Only the Nagare clan had enough power to possibly challenge them, but that was merely due to an elemental advantage. Where Hibana were of fire, Nagare were of water.

They had always been mortal enemies from the start, so it was no surprise that at the beginning of the assaults on humanity they refused to fight together. In the end, the Hibana massacred the Nagare. It caused quite a stir amongst the demon community, splitting them into multiple different factions. Now only the Hibana and a few other clans were fighting to destroy humanity while the rest were simply trying to make sense of their own lives. No single clan fully endorsed the protection of the human race.

Their motto was, "They had their chance," never blinking an eye at the unfortunate souls being slaughtered before them just for their heritage. To be quite frank, it was like living in the feudal ages again. Only the weaponry was far more advanced and devastating.

"What did you find?" The Hibana questioned harshly. The threat of death was hanging heavily in the air. Her grip on the knife tightened. Despite her grudge against the toadies, she didn't like to see them murdered mercilessly. There was still some semblance of her compassion remaining in her heart.

"Master, we found this in the rubble." He handed over an object just slightly obscured from her view, "That's not all. This was found next to it." It was a piece of cloth. She stiffened and looked at her state of dress. She wore tight fitting long sleeves and heavy pants. Just to the side of her shirt a large piece had ripped. It had probably happened when she ducked behind the steel beam. A portion of it might have torn off when she leapt up again. The young woman was forced to stifle her curses as the Hibana examined the cloth closer. Even with one eye, she could see him rub his thumb over the fabric and watch it with intensity. Pinching the article of clothing between his fingers, he brought it up to his nose. There was a deep inhale. Kagome cringed already awaiting the outcome. She could hide her scent from afar, but her clothing was a different story. There was no way to prevent it from sticking to her attire.

"That bitch is here!" The Hibana snarled as he tossed the cloth to the ground. Black eyes sharpened into slits. She faintly heard the dripping of blood from a clenched hand. "Bring in the Gunken clan. I want her found immediately! Bring her back to me alive!" His voice dropped malevolently, "I have much to _discuss_ with her."

She shivered. Yeah, sure. He wanted to _'discuss'_ as much as she wanted to jump out of her hiding spot and say, 'Hey you found me! What's to drink?!' The angle behind the pillar was far too sharp for her to be able to say for certain which Hibana. But whoever he was, he was certainly not going to be in a talkative mood if she were to be discovered.

"Taishou, come in." Her radio went off.

' _Shit.'_ Was all Kagome could think before a hand grabbed her by the arm and yanked her out into the open. He was fast. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw his face. It was _him!_ "….Hatake…." she bit out between gnashed teeth. She let loose the knife grasp in her hand and blasted as much miko-ki she could at him. However it wasn't enough. The blast simply singed his hand while the knife embedded itself in his shoulder without much effect. This wasn't good. She didn't have many other options left at this point.

"It's been a long time, Kagome." Hatake's claws dug sharply into the soft flesh of her arm. She growled in response and pulled another dagger. She pressed the tip firmly against his the apple of his throat. A thin trail of blood cascaded its way down to his collar bone. If all else failed, she would take him with her to hell. Her solitary sapphire eye focused sharply on his black ones. Just for a moment she was certain she had witnessed _something_ flash in them. Some unrecognizable emotion that she had never before seen. Why did he request for her to be taken alive? Wouldn't it simply be easier if he just killed her?

"Don't think that I'll ever surrender myself to you!" She warned, pressing the blade further into his neck. An arrogant smirk crossed his features. Almost as if he knew something she didn't. "We shall see about that _miko_." Hatake spat. She growled and attempted to slash his throat. However he already knew that she would try. His free hand quickly grasped her wrist and squeezed it. The blade clattered to the ground with a sharp 'clang'. Not a moment too soon, an oddly shaped canister was tossed into the room. Their eyes grew wide and a ball of smoke exploded outwards from the canister.

Kagome took advantage of the situation by slipping out of Hatake's grasp and rushing into the cover. She'd have to remember to thank Kotone later for the much needed distraction. Using the smoke cover, she snuck out an unfinished window and leapt to the ground. The impact jarred her knees slightly, forcing her to pause. Once they stopped shaking, she rushed to meet up with her companions. A large, bulky male greeted her around the orange plastic fencing. A group of ten people, four females and six males were waiting her arrival.

"Taishou! We got worried. What happened?" The bulky male inquired as the group fell back behind a concrete barrier.

"Hibana clan, that's what happened." Kagome snapped throwing a few knives at a pack of approaching toadies to warn them away, "No more talking, Takeshi. Hatake is here. We need to get the hell out before he can track us." Takeshi's eyes widened drastically. It was unusual for such a big player to show his face on such a small battle. Did they somehow discover their plans to scour the building for supplies in advance? If so, how did they come across the information? His hazel gaze moved between those of the group. Could it be one of their own feeding information for security?

"Kotone!" Kagome turned towards a brunette close to the back of the pack, "I want you to use more of your smoke grenades to give us cover. The more you can clog their senses, the better." Said woman nodded her agreement. She then turned her attention to Takeshi, "I want you to cover Kotone in case of attack. You've got the fastest shot of us all and she'll need your skills the most." His gaze hardened with determination, although his heart was light with the praise. It was quite rare for their leader to give any praise other than to children and elderly. He took it with the greatest amount of pride.

The rest of the group formed a protective circle around Amaya, a young girl at the ripe age of fourteen who was the newest recruit in their little army self-named "Banken". She was a miko-in-training and was taking lessons from Kagome. As far as any of them knew, she was the youngest miko to hold enough power to harness against the demons. Kagome took it upon herself to personally see to it that she was well prepared for battle. However today was merely supposed to be a routine supply run that ended up being a frontline of the battle field. Takeshi and a seventeen-year-old by the name of Isamu had accompanied her on this excursion and saw to her protection. Kagome had separated from them earlier to lure away a sizeable pack of toadies from their position.

In a thick veil of smoke, the group made their great escape before the enemy's reinforcements arrived. As the rounded the block, Kagome glanced back just long enough to catch Hatake standing in the window she had escaped from. His eyes scanned the neighborhood around. They were black like an abyss of hatred and loathing. She shivered at the expression he held and returned her focus on securing her comrades' safety. They would always come first before herself. That was how it had to be. They needed her. Without her, they would cease to exist in this hostile world. Their last hope of survival rested on her ability to teach Amaya all that she knew. She would have to carry on in her place to bring about change.

They rounded the last block and quickly ducked into the sewers to throw off any scent trails left behind. It was beginning to get dark and they needed to return before night fully set in. The Gunken would start their rounds soon, if they hadn't already been called. They were a group of wolf and dog demons that teamed up in the effort to eradicate the human population. They had very close ties with the Hibana clan. They were often seen working together to desecrate any human reservations they could find. Five years ago, she never would have believed that demons existed in her time, or merely entertained the idea of them hiding their identities. Now, her previous life of time jumping and exams seemed like an eternity ago. Naraku was a cake-walk compared to Hatake.

Her mind flashed to the image of the grinning man once more. She grasped the amulet in her pack and stared at it momentarily. It was her fault really. But that didn't excuse Hatake's blame in the incident. He was the one that baited them out there in the first place. She wrapped the amulet around her wrist tightly, then proceeded to march towards the front of the group. Just ahead was their exit. They stopped momentarily and eyed the man hole above. The lid had been removed and discarded. Night had nearly fallen on the world above. She raised her arm to stop her comrades from moving any further. The sounds of sniffing and claws scraping the concrete above echoed loudly in the sewers. The green water splashed around their ankles as they waited in silence. Only the sounds of the Gunken's search resonated. It turned and took off to the East, away from their hideaway. Amaya sighed while Kotone patted her back. Another female, Shika, stood watch on the west side. Her short, brown hair swayed slightly as she moved to allow Amaya passage through the manhole. With narrowed hazel orbs, she aimed her pistol into the darkness of the sewers.

As a half demon, she had a very acute sense of hearing. It was almost on the same level as a fully fledged demon's. Many suspected her of being a pure blood dog demon, and thus she was often judged by the rest of the Banken. It was made clear from the instant she joined them, that the other humans would not accept her. Even if she was half human, she was far too calculating to be trusted. It was a harsh truth, but one she had to learn to live with all the same. After pushing Amaya, Takeshi, Isamu, and Kotone out of the manhole, she suddenly fired off a shot. While there was a silencer on the weapon, it didn't completely block out the noise as they would have liked. Kagome rushed to her side and pulled her bow and arrows. Her knives would do far less damage than the bow. Also in the darkness, she would need to use a weapon that she was more accustomed to. She was still trying to perfect her aiming skills with the knives.

"What do you think it is?" She questioned as the remaining men piled around them. Suzume, the last female of the group and their most practiced healer, was hoisted out after Shika fired off her round into the darkness. It was necessary to protect the healers the most. They were the ones that would keep them alive in the most dire situations. Demons understood this knowledge and would often target them as well as any monks and mikos within the groups. While monks and mikos had the capabilities of doing serious damage to their attackers, healers didn't have a chance. At least not without picking up a trade in weaponry. Suzume had none. She lacked the confidence and callousness to kill.

"It's a wolf. Luckily it doesn't seem to have brought its pack, but it's probably the same one we heard just a bit ago. Tried to sneak up on us." Her gaze narrowed as she pulled the trigger once more. There was a yelp and water splashing. A stream of red trailed between their ankles down the sewers. Inwardly, Kagome cringed. Even after all this time it was difficult to get used to the sight of death.

"Ready taishou?" Shika asked as she glanced at her. The men raised their hands to help lift her out. "You guys go first. I'll go last." She responded, waving her hand. Shika nodded and pulled herself out. She refused to rely on anyone else but herself. Kagome smirked at the woman's independence then waited as the others pulled themselves out. It had taken a total of thirty minutes, including the little interruption, to get everyone out. But afterwards, they were able to sneak back to her shrine within ten minutes. The Gunken were none the wiser to their base.

Souta flew down the stairs to greet his sister. He was now nineteen and a full head and shoulders taller than her. He stopped just short of them and glared at Takeshi, "I thought you said you'd get everyone the hell out if a fight broke out? That shit was all over the radio!" He snarled, pointing a finger at the older male. Takeshi was her second in command and by far one of her strongest and most loyal allies. He was the only one that both of the Higurashi siblings trusted to guide the Banken should they be indisposed. To hear that such a massive battle erupted while searching for supplies made Souta's blood boil with rage. He was forced to stay behind to stand guard over the youth and elderly, while Takeshi and Kagome fielded the front lines. The last thing he ever wanted was to have his sister be forced back into the war, now he had to deal with any casualties as a result of their indiscretion.

"It's alright Souta. Don't be so harsh on him," Kagome started as she handed off her pack to Amaya. The little blonde nodded and rushed into the main house away from the confrontation. Kotone, Suzume, and Isamu followed suit. "It wasn't all in vein." She lifted the emerald amulet for him to see.

"That's…." He started. "Yeah, it's Kazuhiro's. Found it on a Hibana that I killed earlier." She continued as she refastened around her wrist. Takeshi glared at Souta in agitation. It was well known that the younger Higurashi desired to be out on the field as opposed to caring for their defenseless members. He neither needed him to attack nor berate him for his actions that day. He did the best that he could under the circumstances. Considering that there weren't any losses, he was damned proud of his job as second-in-command.

"You might want to watch your tongue before you go spewing at the mouth, _boy_." He hissed at the younger male. Souta glared at him. Although he trusted Takeshi to protect his sister and the group due to his physical prowess, he certainly didn't like him personally. The man had the personality of a jackass. Stubborn to the bone and pride that could fill even the largest city. He was a walking disaster waiting to happen.

"Perhaps you should do a more thorough job of scoping these excursion sites before heading off into danger. If you ever want to lead this group and take over Nee-san's position, then you need to get your head outta your ass!" Souta yelled. Kagome sighed and stepped between the two feuding males.

"Girls, you're both pretty. Can we get down to business now?" They huffed and crossed their arms in unison—not caring for the insult to their masculinity. "Good, now since that's settled." She moved fluidly towards an open tent in front of the Goshinboku. The two males followed suit behind her. In the center of the tent was a map of Tokyo. Kagome withdrew one of her knives and stuck it in the position that the building was at earlier.

"We've scoured here," she pointed towards the north, "through here." Her finger stopped to the knife just on the west side of the map. "Overall, we've covered approximately forty-five percent of the city in search of supplies and survivors. In the mean time, we've discovered the Gunken and Hibana clans to have made their base somewhere in this area." She pointed to small area on the map to the south that was marked up in red ink. "So sometime between our last excursion and today, they've moved their territory from the south to the west."

Takeshi and Souta eyed the map warily. If that was the case then that meant that something happened to cause them to move. Either they gained more forces and felt comfortable with moving their territories, or they were being forced to move by an even more powerful demon. Considering the reaction today, Takeshi was certain that it was the latter of the two. Their reinforcements were sluggish at best and it was unusual for Hatake to appear on the frontlines. Only once had he ever seen him and his taishou fight it out. It wasn't pretty to say the least.

"With this new information in mind, we need to figure out where their base is located and launch our initiative." Their gazes fell to a large circle in the map. Somewhere between the south and the west was their target. If only they could get some eyes in the sky. Shika walked into the tent, her gaze hardened.

"We've got trouble." Was all she said before Kagome followed her out to the main house. Inside, Kotone and Amaya were struggling with an injured man. Kagome recognized him immediately. His name was Nori. He was a middle-aged man that they had found lurking in the shadows of Tokyo. He was one of the most stealthy humans that she had ever met. It was due to his skills that he was assigned to the reconnaissance squad. He lay squirming under Kotone and Amaya's hands, his body littered with fresh wounds. A green liquid of a dog demon's poison leaked from some of the gashes.

"Amaya, hold his arms. We need to determine the extent of his injuries." She pointed towards Kotone, "Whatever you do, don't let go of him. The pain will make him thrash about." The women nodded and did as they were told. Kagome went to work. She laid her hands across his chest and tapped into her miko ki to assess the amount of internal damage. There was no doubt. The poison had definitely come from a powerful dog demon. Particularly a silver dog demon. They were quite rare, but the most gifted with poisons. Sesshoumaru was the only full blooded silver she had ever come across. However he made his stance clear at the beginning of this war. He would not have attacked them in such a manner. So who was the other silver? Her eye softened at the man in sympathy. Within a matter of minutes, he would be dead. There was nothing more that she could do save to help ease the pain.

"Listen to me Nori, there is nothing I can do." She answered him truthfully, "Can you tell me who did this to you?" She grasped his hand and held onto it tightly. He threw his head back from the pain and grimaced. He already knew that his death was at hand.

"T-Ta…" he was forced to stop and gasp for breath. His body convulsed as the poison attacked his internal organs. Seconds passed where all that could be heard were his harsh rasping. Finally, he opened his mouth and said, "… Beware…." He shut his eyes tightly and muttered through gnashed teeth, "…Tadao…" Kagome's grip became more vice-like as he went through another convulsion.

"You're death will not be in vain." She squeezed his hand, as if to convey her determination to him. He opened his eyes for the briefest of moments.

"I… believe…" He said through deep breaths, before the light disappeared from his eyes. The room fell silent. Another one of them had fallen. How many of them were left? How long could they last? Amaya leaned over the man's head and cried out to him.

"Nori-san! Please, you have to be okay! You're stronger than this!" She cried out, rocking back and forth, his head cradled in her arms. "You promised! You promised! You promised you'd be there!" Kotone moved away from the girl. There was nothing more she could do. Takeshi and Souta turned to leave when they heard the teen cry out once more.

"Taishou! Please, can't you save him? Can't you do anything?" The blonde had grasped the collar of Kagome's shirt. She sighed heavily and eyed the body lying on the floor of the living room.

"No, he's dead Amaya." She removed her hands from her collar, "This is the world we live in. This is the reality that we must face. Death is constantly surrounding us. As a miko-in-training…" However the older priestess didn't get to finish her sentence.

"Shut up! I don't want to be a priestess! I never asked for this!" She yelled, throwing her arms out to emphasize her point. "You forced me into this position. You never asked me!" A sapphire eye narrowed darkly.

"Would you have preferred for me to have left you for death? Would you have preferred that I'd let those demons devour you too?" The fourteen-year-old cringed and cradled her face in her hands. "You don't get the choice. You were born into this. Just as I was." She lifted Amaya's chin roughly to force the girl to look at her, "You may hate what we have to do, but if we don't follow our duty and protect those around us, what do you think would happen? Take a look around. This isn't just about you and your feelings. There's much more at stake here."

"I don't want to be like you!" Amaya screamed as she pushed the older female away, "I don't want to be cold and uncaring! I want to be myself! I want to live for the sake of living! I don't want to keep fighting to survive if all we're thinking about is how to kill each other off!" The silence of death hung heavy in the air. Some watched in fascination while others glared.

_It must be because she's still a child. Only one so young could have such silly hopes and dreams._

_Traitor! How dare she turn her back on her duty!_

_She's got the right idea. How much longer are we going to keep fighting like this? Even amongst ourselves? It's time this war came to its end…_

Kagome sighed at the whispers. There was so much turmoil in their little band of survivors, she was unsure of how to unite them all. However she was certain of one fact. Should they surrender now, they would cease to exist as a species. To forever be in servitude to the demons around them and never to enjoy the wonders of freedom again.

"Listen closely, all of you!" She snarled, "Whether you choose to stay here is your choice, but let me make one thing clear. Should you leave, you are inviting yourselves to their mercy. Should we lay down our arms and stop fighting, we will also surrender our freedoms. Is that how you want to live? Is that how you want your children and their children to live their lives? In fear of whether or not their demon masters will grant them mercy? You've seen how they treat their servants." Her eye landed on Amaya. The girl squirmed under her stare. "If that's how you want to spend your life, then go. But know this, as a priestess you have a duty to protect all those weaker than yourself. Will you abandon them now?" That forced her to look around at the faces in the crowded living room. There were a few children staring at her with tears in their eyes and fear in their expressions. The adults were a mix of worry and hatred. These people depended upon her. They needed her to stay alive. Could she truly leave them behind?

"But Nori-san…" she started, however she was interrupted by Isamu.

"Nori knew the risks he was taking. He was one of our best and even in his death he had faith in our taishou. Has she ever steered us wrong before? Has she ever abandoned any of us?" His voice rang loud and clear to the rest of the group. Before teaming up with the Banken, he had travelled with his father. He had admired his father for the longest time however when they were surrounded by a pack of Gunken, the man slinked away and left his son for death. It was by mere luck, or perhaps even fate, that Kagome and the Banken showed up. She risked everything she had to save him from death's grip. Now he owed her his life. His loyalty had never faltered from her. Not since the day he arrived.

Takeshi took a stance beside Kagome, "Where would we be today without taishou? How many of us would've died long before reaching this point?" He glanced over at Amaya, "This world is harsh. It's brutal and unforgiving to those who cannot live beneath the strain of it all. You have the opportunity to leave to live your life the way you choose, but would you truly be able to look anyone in the eye after that?"

More whispers followed suit. Kagome sighed and lifted her hand. "Today has been a very trying one. I suggest that we all return to our quarters for the evening and discuss further options in the morning. Amaya," she started softly, "I need you to come with me. There's something I need to show you." People filed out of the main house into the tents outside. The whispers went with them. In the morning she'd have to do damage control, but for now she needed to teach Amaya about the duty a miko carried on her shoulders. Takeshi, Isamu, and Souta stood by as Kagome led the younger girl towards her old room. The nineteen-year-old sighed heavily and motioned for the other two to follow him out.

"This is for them to discuss in private. They don't need an audience." Was all he mentioned before the house was completely emptied of people save for the two priestesses. The older woman absent mindedly rubbed the black cloth that covered her eye and half of her face. It had been quite some time since anyone had laid their eyes upon the injury. This would be the first in over a year.

"Don't take me as unfeeling or heartless," she started as she unfastened the buckle to her eye cover. "I _have_ been in your shoes before. I can empathize with your feelings and situation. However this is more than _either_ of us." The cloth fell to her desk with a soft 'tup'. Kagome turned slightly so Amaya could see her damaged eye. Three jagged scars trailed vertically from her eyebrow to her cheekbone. The eye itself was a milky silver that was unfocused and hazy. Amaya gasped and covered her mouth; the urge to retch was overpowering. "I was like you once. Although I followed my duty, I desired to be free of it. This," she gestured to the crowd of people outside talking amongst themselves, "Was merely a means to an end. It was merely a way for me to reestablish myself in a different light. In the end, my desire to become just 'a normal human girl' again got the best of me." She covered her eye with her hand, "It was because of my arrogance that I lost my eye. Not only that but I lost someone very dear to me as a direct result."

"Kazuhiro-san…" Amaya started. She had heard of the man. He was a monk that sought them out at the beginning of the war. He had heard of their taishou's prowess in her miko-ki and wanted their help in getting control of his shrine back from a Hibana demon. The two were said to be inseparable… save for the day he died… She personally never had the chance to meet him, but she heard that he was quite the prankster and pervert. Often times he would suffer from multiple slaps a day from the fairer sex.

"That's right. Remember, whatever you decide will have a consequence. Regardless of whether you stay or leave, I rest that decision squarely in your hands." Kagome grasped the eye cover and swiftly refastened it before heading back out to check for security breaches. Amaya was left standing alone in the cold and decrepit shrine house. Only the main living areas were still in use. The rest of it had been abandoned by the siblings. Their mother and grandfather had used to live here with them, but were killed in their sleep during the first assault. Kagome barely managed to snag Souta and flee the shrine temporarily. It was a common legend amongst the others that she returned the following week, armed to the teeth and forced the demons out of her shrine. The blood of her family had been avenged by the blood of the demons. The young girl sighed. Was this what she had to look forward to? Could she truly participate in such a brutal cycle?

Violence. War. Famine. She wanted no part of this world. She wanted no part of that future. But could she bring herself to abandon those who needed her the most? Suddenly the ground beneath them shuddered violently. A loud explosion sounded followed by screams of terror. Amaya's senses flared out by instinct and she paled instantly. It was the Hibana and Gunken. They had been found out.

"Taishou!" She called out from the window, "They've found us!" Kagome nodded at her and grabbed her bow and arrows. Souta, Takeshi, Shika, Kotone and Isamu followed her up to the source of the breach. Amaya ran from the top of the stairs to join them in the fight. Suzume ushered the remainder of the survivors to the old well. It was a safe house in case of attack. They were always instructed to hide in the depths of the well while the charms outside would hide their scent and appearance. The children cried out their fears while their mothers held them close to their hearts. The elderly offered up their prayers for the attack to soon be over and for all to be delivered safely in the event.

Kagome eyed the barrier as it trembled beneath the force of the demon's attacks. It wouldn't take long now. This would be their end. She raised her gaze to meet her comrades.

"It was an honor to fight alongside all of you." She said stoutly. Their eyes lit up with the praise and nodded their agreement. Souta moved to her right hand side. They were family, regardless of what happened in the future, he would always be by her side—no matter what. With one last attack, the barrier fell and all hell broke loose.

**A/n:** Just as a FYI, the journey with the feudal era ended when Kagome was about twenty and five years since the well's closing the war in the present time is in full swing. So in a nutshell, this is ten years after the beginning of the manga/anime. Feel free to ask just about any question. Only thing I won't answer are questions about pairings. You'll have to wait to see what they are ;) I know, I'm evil :] Also this one I don't have any other chapters of written. I started on the second one so my udpates will be slow. I'm mostly just posting this for fun :)


	2. Return

**Disclaimer** : I don't own jack!

_Special Thanks and Dedication to Beautiful Phantom who did the fanart for this story! You're awesome! XD_

_Summary_ : Actions must always have an opposing and equal reaction. What one does one day might come back and hurt them the next. In Kagome's case, she's only got one chance to make things right. Just one chance to return to the past and prevent the war between humans and demons that has left their world covered in ash and blood.

**_The Hands Stained With Sin_ **

**Chapter Two** : Return

Hatake stood motionless by the empty opening that was going to be a window. _That_ woman had managed to escape his grasp earlier. His calloused hands touched the concrete of the opening that was her exit. He rubbed the course surface slightly. Her scent was faint but still present. A delicate mixture of sakura blossoms and fresh rain water. How many times was that now that she eluded him? Onyx eyes narrowed in disgust. Was he truly this weak? Incapable of capturing even one woman? Even if it was _that_ woman. This shouldn't have been so difficult of a task. Today, that look of fire and determination was what stilled his hand. For the briefest of moments, he remembered how she was back then. The anger, the hatred even the fierce resolve was what originally drew him to her. Now, he despised her for it.

Midorimaru, the little frog youkai that called him there, trembled at his feet. Hatake glanced at the toad, "What news do you bring?" He queried. The fire demon rolled the glass object with his thumb across the palm of his hand. It was light and clear save for a streak of color through the middle. The scent of the priestess and another youkai permeated from the object. It was of no clear use other than to entertain a child. The demon's scent he detected was one from a pup. It was old, possibly upwards of five maybe even six years since the child last touched the object. They had discovered it earlier next to a felled steel beam. It was highly possible that she had managed to hide under it before striking down Tetsu. The ashes of his friend and comrade lay piled in a pathetic heap near his feet. Was that to be his future too?

"Milord, good news has arrived from our contact. Ranshin has successfully infiltrated the Banken's headquarters and is nearly done in bringing down the barrier." The little demon shivered in terror at the youkai before him. He had seen the death of his comrades at this monster's hands. If he didn't want to die a pitiful death as well, he had better keep his head down. It was the only way for his race to survive at this point. Even amongst demons there was strict hierarchy. Failure to comply with that structure would result in an immediate and painful death. "Sir, if you wish to deal with their leader yourself then we should probably leave as quickly as possible. The Gunken has already made their move. You know how they can be."

Hatake thought over his underling's words. It was true. The canines weren't exactly known for their restraint. If he didn't arrive soon then they'd kill the priestess before he'd get his chance for revenge. Also there was _an_ _other_ searching for her head on a pike, not to mention his as well. Onyx eyes narrowed at the thought. The bastard had no right to take what was rightfully his. The priestess's life belonged to him. That fact alone was indisputable among the demon community. He'd make damn sure that the fowl mongrel wouldn't get close enough to sniff her, let alone kill her. That was _his_ privilege, and his _alone_.

"Indeed." He acknowledge Midorimaru's presence, "We leave at once. You can take the rest of your clan back to HQ. You won't be needed for this mission." He turned swiftly on his heel. The cool breeze of the season's first cold front rustled his clothing and hair gently. Tonight he'll end her life and hopefully save another. The muscles around his chest constricted with a long lost emotion. It had to be done. It was the only way to save _her_.

Midorimaru kept silent. He was aware of his master's plan. He also knew of the person he wished to save. Yet something was off about his plan. For the little amount of education he had, the little toad was quite aware that it was impossible to change the past. Magical well involved or not. One way or another that girl would return to the past. When she did, all of their fates would be sealed. That person would die. Hatake would lose his mate. The miko would lose her home. All those who followed her would be condemned to a life of hate and fear. There was no way around it. Even if he did manage to kill her, that reality would exist in an alternate universe. They would _never_ be able to experience that world themselves. One could say that their fates had already been sealed the moment Hatake chose to commit his life and soul to his hatred. In his own opinion, he believed that the fire youkai owed it to himself to figure out what _really_ happened that day. It was the right thing to do. His drive for revenge clouded his judgement. Even _she_ would have agreed. Sighing inwardly, the little frog bowed as his master left. All he could was wait and watch. Someday his lord would see how grievous his error truly was, but for now he'd support him. If only to protect his own life.

Midorimaru looked outside the perfectly square opening. The full moon's light illuminated the abandoned buildings and smoldering homes. He truly hoped that some good would come from this genocide. Too many had died all for the sake of one man's selfish desire for retribution. The howling of wolves signaled the first assault on the barrier in progress. He sincerely hoped that the girl somehow did find a way to stop the past from happening. If for no one's sake but hers. She was the one that had the most to lose. Closing his eyes, he too left the building that was their symbol of "success". Charred remains of their fallen littered the ground. Blood of their enemy was splattered in grotesque shapes across the walls like someone's macabre idea of art. In the end, it didn't matter which side you were on. Your body would always be lying next to your enemy's and your sacrifices quickly forgotten by the masses. What was all this death and violence for? What exactly had the humans done to deserve such treatment? What even made them think that they were so much more superior to those 'lowly humans'? Functioning on the basis that the entire war was started over one woman's death, did that not make them even worse than their original 'adversary'? After all they had killed far more humans than the other way around. How many wives, daughters, sisters had they killed? How many husbands, sons, brothers were sacrificed for the sake of protecting their family? This was not a war. This was the eradication of an entire species. With Hatake at the top pulling the strings.

Still, there was some other players out there that voiced their opinion of these atrocities. Midorimaru wondered how long it would be before they took up arms against Hatake and the Gunken. Couldn't be too much longer now. There were only a few clans of humans left. If they wanted to save them then they'd have to move quickly. The Banken was the source of hope for all the humans, if that clan fell then there'd be no hope left for the others.

He would wait a bit longer before deciding his next move. The winds were starting to shift and he didn't want to be on the opposing end when that happened. For now he'd hope that everything would turn out alright. It was the only thing he could do. It was the only thing any of them could do.

* * *

Kagome and the others watched in horror as the barrier crumbled to the ground. The earth trembled beneath their feet. She didn't sense any of the youkai before this happened. So why did the barrier fall? Could Takeshi have been correct in his assumption that one of them managed to infiltrate their little band of survivors? Kagome didn't have much time to think on the subject. Several packs of wolves and dogs charged across the tiled courtyard. Their eyes were dilated with blood lust and their silver fangs bared for the kill. She notched an arrow and fired it into the chest of a black wolf that dove head first into them. Its body scattered into ash. Almost immediately more charged ahead in its place. The fury of their lost companion became evident in their attacks. They got faster and stronger. The hatred was so tangible that most of their little group had to shudder at it. She let loose another arrow and watched stoically as it purified a youkai into a heap of ash. Regardless of the leak, she'd do whatever she could to protect her followers. They were the only family she had left in this screwed up world. She turned, catching her brother's gaze. He was still filled with trepidation at the thought of taking another life but watching the threat up close and personal like this, a certain fire entered his eyes. He was ready to join the fight.

Souta grabbed his staff. It was a relic left to him by their grandfather. Through it he was able to channel what little ability he had. It was a paltry amount compared to Kagome and Amaya, but it was enough to stave off an attack. He had spent most of his time training. Countless hours he tried his best to channel his abilities. He had seen what terrors this world held for him and his family first hand. He had watched as his mother and grandfather were mercilessly slaughtered before his eyes. He also watched his sister purify those monsters into nothing. What he wanted more than anything was the power to protect his sister, just as she had done for him. His grip tightened. One of the wolves splintered off and rushed him. It's powerful muscles propelled it swiftly across the courtyard and towards him. Sweat beaded his brow in nervousness. Just a few more seconds. Silver fangs flashed in front of him. Sensing that the wolf demon was about to go in for his throat, he thrust the staff forward. The sharp end of the staff pierced the creature's chest deeply. Wood splintered off and bit into his skin as he quickly twisted the object, ensuring the wolf's death. The flesh nearest to the demon's wound sizzled and was reduced to cinders. Cobalt eyes narrowed in dismay. He was definitely stronger, but it still wasn't enough to completely purify the creature. He needed more power.

A bullet whizzed past his head as Shika fired off a shot into an Inu youkai that thought to attack his turned back. Its head snapped backwards as its body fell limply to the ground. He gave her a quick nod of appreciation. She ignored it and continued to fire away at the enemies that were surrounding them. Just next to Kagome, Amaya cringed. Several of the Gunken had already managed to circle them. No matter how many arrows she shot there were still many more that replaced the ones that she killed. Sweat drenched her neck and face. Blonde strands of hair stuck to her skin. Was _this_ their future? Kill or be killed? The teenager notched another arrow. This time her enemy was in his humanoid form. The youkai's eyes were a stunning shade of blue. His hair was brown like the earth. Pale lips curled back to reveal pearlescent fangs. This _thing_ wasn't human. It was there to kill her. So why did her hands tremble so? Her legs were weak and her heart raced. She knew she had to kill him, so why couldn't she? The Inu launched into the air, his claws extended. Amaya froze. Was it because they looked so similar? The image of a man flashed in her mind. She couldn't kill him. Not in that form. Not when he resembled _him_ so much. The memory of blood soaked snow invaded her mind. _Father_.

Kagome quickly pushed her apprentice behind her. The older priestess thrust her bow into the torso of the demon and pushed much of her power into his body. Poor fool didn't have enough time to scream let alone feel pain. Sensing an opening, Takeshi made a mad grab for the catatonic teenager. Her azure eyes were wide with fear and her body trembled violently. She needed the most protection. So that was exactly what he was going to give her. The muscular man tucked the limp girl under one arm and pushed his back against Isamu's. The younger male was only a few inches shorter than him. Which was odd given their age difference. Nearly ten years apart and they could've passed off as siblings. Isamu was quite tall and muscular for a boy at the ripe age of seventeen. As a result, he was often at the front line of these battles and made great use of his strength. The dark haired teen thrust his fist into the cheek bone of an inu youkai. His strength alone was comparable to that of a hanyou's. Many suspected that he might have demonic blood in his lineage somewhere, but none knew for certain since his mother died prior to the war and his father was probably lying dead in a ditch. The demon roared in pain, clutching at his injury. Several bones were definitely broke. Isamu didn't give it the chance to recover. Over and over again he punched at its face. Breaking more of its bones and doing as much damage as he could to the vile creature. Takeshi was forced to pry the young man off of the youkai to keep him focused on the task of keeping Amaya safe.

They couldn't keep this up for much longer. More demons poured in then they could handle at once, even with Kagome's power. Isamu nudged for them to edge closer to Kotone. She had been holding up fairly well and was their best bet at keeping Amaya fully protected at this point. Where many of them were skilled in their physical prowess, Kotone was skilled in ingenuity. She was the only person to date that had managed to use their taishou's special ability and weaponize it in a way that they could all use it. Inside some of her canisters was a solution mixed with Kagome's blood. One drop and many a demon were turned to ash. They didn't have the ability to freeze the blood as they should have, so the few canisters they had of this special solution had to be used quickly, and strategically.

"Taishou!" Takeshi cried out for his leader. Understanding his message, she nodded at him. It was best to get everyone into the well house now. It was the only way they were going to survive the night. Especially if Hatake decided to make a special appearance. Going by how desperate the Gunken was to get rid of them quickly, she was fairly certain that he'd be arrive soon.

"Follow Takeshi! We will secure its perimeter and fight the others off from there!" She raised her arm and motioned for them to move forward, "No demon will enter that building as long as we live!" They let out an enthused war cry and charged towards the abandoned building. Many of their elderly and children had already been evacuated to there with Suzume tending to the injured. Kotone quickly threw down a canister. The cap popped off with a loud 'clack' and a cloud of red smoke erupted from the opening. It'd not only cloud their senses, but purify any foolish enough to dive into the mist. The scent of copper hung heavily in the air as Kagome headed the group towards the well house. They ran at full speed with herself and Takeshi in front. Souta and Shika took up the rear while Isamu and Kotone protected the middle of their little group.

The cover worked for a short bit. They had managed to make it halfway across before it faded and the canines were able to charge through without any deterrent. Souta cursed under his breath as one snapped at his legs, nearly knocking them right out from under him. Shika put the edge of the gun on the demon's head. It only had a second to react. Fortunately for Souta, it wasn't quite fast enough. The crack of the bullet entering its skull and turning its brain to mush echoed loudly in his hears. The teen regained his balance. Despite his lack of power, he was quite good at making small barriers. Without waiting for clearance from his sister he stuck his staff into the ground. Power pulsated from the object. Those who had pursued them suddenly stopped in their tracks. A light veil spread across the darkened sky. It engulfed most of the area around them. It wasn't perfect, but he had managed to erect a barrier just large enough to encase their little group.

His muscles tensed as he held his position. If he moved an inch, the barrier would fall. He was screwed. That was for certain, but at least this way he could buy the others a little bit of time to make it to the well house. It was their last line of defense. It had been outfitted with steel and wood of the Goshinboku. The exterior was a hard metal that was nearly infallible by most human standards. It'd last for some time against demonic attacks. In the interior, the wood of the God Tree had been used to reinforce the walls, creating an additional barrier that they could retreat to in case of an emergency like this. It would last until morning under an attack like this. Many had already evacuated there. So now it was up to him to make sure that his sister and the others made it. If he was going to die, than he was damn well going to do it like this. He wasn't going kneel on the ground and wait for some damn youkai to kill him. He'd go out fighting. Especially if it meant that his sacrifice would save all of their lives. His power wasn't much but it'd be enough to save them. He was just going to live with that for the rest of his life. Which probably wasn't going to be much longer anyways.

"Just get to the damn well already!" The teenager growled. "I've got this!"

"You heard him! Keep moving!" Kagome urged the others to continue moving forward. No matter the circumstances she would _never_ leave her brother behind.

Takeshi and the others bolted for the well. He had his doubts about leaving his leader alone with her brother. More than anything he wanted to fight valiantly by her side and not hide like a coward in the well house. But he knew that their leader had her reasons for splitting them up like this. She must've had a plan. It was the only thing he could think of. She wasn't the type of woman to send them off and take the part of a martyr. Maybe back when Kazuhiro was alive she would've pulled that act. But not anymore. The only thing being a martyr got her was a blind eye and a dead fiance. If anything, Takeshi was resolute in his belief that she had a counter attack already thought out. Also, he knew that she was desperate to keep Amaya safe.

They believed in their taishou and would follow her command until death. She wouldn't abandon them. It was clear that she wanted to fight this battle alone with her brother. So they would grant her that much. They piled in and secured the door. Besides, they could keep the others safe for as long as possible. If they were going to die, then they'd do it protecting those who truly needed it. However what they saw after they entered the decrepit edifice was not one that they expected.

* * *

Kagome grabbed Souta by his neck and quickly ran across towards the well house. She was absolutely furious with his idiotic attempt. He did manage to buy them some time but that wasn't the point. As furious as she was with him, she couldn't blame him. This wasn't the life he was supposed to have lived. She stared at her sibling in despair. She had wanted so much more for him but as it turned out, this would probably be the last battle they faced together. His barrier fell and they were left defenseless. Fortunately the siblings had managed to get across the rest of the courtyard without much incident. They flung their backs against the wooden door. The sounds of terrified screams and cries for help burned in their ears. Souta's soul burned with fury. Those who weren't lucky enough to be evacuated laid strewn in pieces across the shrine like twisted pieces of decoration. How could these beasts truly live with themselves? What had any of them done to deserve this treatment?

The young woman watched the scene in despair. She had failed them. She had promised them that she'd protect them. Now they were dead. Of all the things, she believed that one day the well would reopen and that they could return to the Sengoku Jidai. The well had become her sign of hope. Five years ago it had sealed itself. The magic still existed within its depths. She could sense it, but it refused her entrance through it. She had hoped that she could reopen it herself. Was this their end? Then, it hit her. Like a breath on the skin of the back of her neck, power surged from within. It was pure and full of light. Could it really be? For just that instant, Kagome began to feel hope again.

When Kazuhiro arrived three years ago, she believed that together they would've had the power to unseal it and send their people to the other side-saving them from the despair and horror of their time period. As fate would have it, Kazuhiro died the night before they were to attempt the ambitious plan. A cobalt eye narrowed at the forces that were swiftly closing in on them. This time she would not fail her brother. She'd ensure that he would survive. He was the last bit of family she had. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him too.

Determination filled her soul. She'd end this war with one last battle. The miko waited for the youkai to get within a breath's distance of herself. Just above her a black portal opened and Hatake appeared before them, his back turned to the siblings. Her body stiffened. Despite what his presence meant on the battlefield, she had anticipated his appearance and used it to her advantage. If there was one thing she knew, it was that Hatake has a personal grudge against her. The reason was still unknown to her but at least she knew she could count on him to appear at just the _right_ moment to keep other youkai from killing her. He'd rather do that himself.

She leaned over and whispered quietly, "Get in the well."

The young man didn't have a chance to argue since she grabbed him by his collar and threw him inside. She locked the door from the outside, preventing him from getting back out.

Hatake glanced back at the priestess. How very predictable. Even now she'd rather sacrifice her own life for the sake of her beloved comrades. She had always been such a martyr. It disgusted him. He figured after killing her little human lover that she'd get the picture that self-sacrifice didn't always equate to a better end. His hands balled into fists at his side at the mere memory of that event. A type of rage, one he hadn't felt for many centuries, spread across his chest like wildfire.

Kagome backed into the hardened steel of the well house. She had no clue what she was thinking trying to take on Hatake by herself. She was only going to get herself killed at this rate. Then what would happen to the others? It wasn't like he was just going to let them go because she begged for it. In fact just because she'd beg for their lives that he'd probably slaughter them first. Hands shaking, she notched her last arrow and pointed it at the center of his back. One wrong move and she'd kill him.

The dark eyed youkai looked over the woman's trembling form. How unusual. For the first time he saw the miko shake at the thought of death. Perhaps she wasn't all that ready to die yet? No matter. He'd deal with her momentarily. For now he had a pack of mongrels to deal with. They knew their orders. Kagome was his to kill. No one would ever have that right. A ball of scarlet flames appeared in the palm of his hand.

"Which of you was it?" The fire demon queried darkly. All of the canines, whether they were in their full form or their human form, took several steps back. Only one remained. It was a young man. He had dark hair and deep emerald eyes. Blood stained fangs were drawn into a deep snarl.

"Who made you god?" The male growled as he flexed his claws. Hatake recognized him as the newly appointed leader of the Gunken clan. He went by the name Kutsuu. The ookami was best known for his arrogance and fierce loyalty to his kin. Unfortunately that loyalty also bred a sense of pride in his kind. A trait that was now going to be his downfall. Such a waste. The bastard could've been of great use to him. Now he had to dispose of a perfectly good soldier.

The fire in the palm of his hand more than tripled in size.

"Do not forget your place you filthy mutt. _I_ am the one that granted you immunity from the others." He raised the ball high enough to make many of Kutsuu's underlings to sweat in fear. "Who was it that took in your sorry hides as you were begging in the streets? If it weren't for me you'd all be dead right now."

The alpha chose not to back down. Hatake sighed, "The woman is mine to kill. Challenge me on this and I'll eradicate your very existence."

"Go ahead and try it!" Kutsuu growled loudly, his eyes shining with the desire to main and slaughter. He launched himself into the air with glass-like claws reflecting brightly under the moon's corrupted light.

The fire demon threw the flame at his enemy. It scorched his flesh and burned the creature into a blackened mass. The scent of burned flesh assaulted their nostrils. Many of the remaining Gunken took several steps back.

"Do not forget who you owe your lives to." He threw another wave of fire at their feet, purposely missing them by inches. "Go!"

The youkai retreated with tails tucked between their legs and fearful whines escaping their throats.

The sound of wood tapping against wood rang loudly in Kagome's ears. It didn't matter how hard she tried, her hands couldn't stop trembling. The arrow shook against the grain of her bow. A cobalt eye widened ever so slightly in fear. C'mon now, she just had to think of _something_! When the last of the youkai vacated the area, the priestess was forced to watch in horror as their leader slowly turned to meet her gaze. His eyes were as dark as they were this afternoon, but something was different this time. There was almost a reluctance in those onyx depths. Could she have imagined it? Kagome shook the very notion from her mind. This was no time to be fantasizing. Especially when all their lives depended on her! He moved towards her fluidly. His steps were silent and the only sounds that permeated the air was that of the shrine burning to the ground. The man who proclaimed himself to be her executioner paused. He was barely a breath's away from her. The scent of ash and woods filled her nose. Other than the incident earlier in the day, she had never been close enough to catch his scent. Or rather the only other time she _had_ been, the pain of losing her eye and fiance at the time overshadowed the memory of his scent. Being this close to her self-proclaimed arch nemesis terrified her. Not just because her life was on the line, but what that meant for those who she was supposed to protect.

Kagome's eye narrowed as she pressed the tip of the arrow into his chest, "One more step and I'll kill you." Her voice was much more resolute than she felt. It didn't matter if she died here. All that mattered was making sure the others had enough time to evacuate to the other side of the well. She had felt its power and deep down she knew it wouldn't reject them. The young woman wasn't exactly sure why she knew this, but somewhere deep in her soul she could just sense it. Perhaps it was the jewel? She had sealed it within herself five years ago. As a result she had been unable to use its power to return to the feudal era once she passed through for that final time. Could the seal have weakened enough to where the well was now fully functioning as it should? Regardless Kagome was determined to get her clan to safety. She'd buy them just enough time to get across. She'd see to that.

Hatake watched as the emotions of the miko's face rapidly changed from fear to defiant determination. There it was again. That fire. It burned deep within her soul, and he hated her for it. How many times were they going to play this game? Rather than wasting time trying to figure out her reasoning behind the sudden bout of strength, he chose to destroy the one thing that made her feel safe. Black, crystal-like claws slashed horizontally across the woman's torso. Parts of her clothing ripped and beads of red swelled at the shallow injury. He purposely missed seriously harming her. He still had something he wanted to _discuss_ with her. Broken splinters of the miko's bow and arrow crashed to the ground. Now she had no way to defend herself. Her knives were all used up. If she were to try to use her powers of purification, she'd leave herself open to a counter attack. She didn't have the strength to kill him. Nor would she ever. He had all the cards in this situation.

"Are you done yet?"

"Go fuck yourself!" She responded in kind. Kagome's fear began to ebb away. In its place anger grew. Throughout this entire war there had been one thing that was a constant: Hatake's hatred for her. It was her shrine that had been attacked first. It was _her_ life that he sought to end. Over and over again he'd try to kill her and fail miserably. Whether it'd be due to her comrades fierce determination to save her, or a weakness that even Hatake himself was unwilling to admit, Kagome knew that _she_ was the sole reason this war started and it infuriated her.

"If you wanted to kill me then go ahead and do it!" She screamed, her fury getting the best of her, "Don't put all these innocent people through this hell just for your selfish hatred!" Before the demon could fully register her words, she brought her hand up and struck him as hard as she could across the face. If she was going to die anyways, then she was going to do it speaking her mind. She wasn't just going to cower away in fear. She would face him and tell exactly how she felt about his idiotic pursuit for some revenge that may or may not be valid. At this point it was no longer of any importance to her _why_ he chose to attack as he did. The only thing that was important to her was giving her people the life they deserved. One where they could choose who they wanted to be, not who the had to be.

Hatake was in shock. It had been a very long time since someone had the guts to strike him in such a way. He grabbed the priestess by the collar of her shirt and hauled her up close.

" _I_ won't be the one to kill them," The fire youkai started, "Ranshin will." He leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Technically speaking you were the one who condemned them to this fate, Kagome." The miko's eye widened. That was the first time he had ever called her by her first name. So why did he do it? Why was he acting as if they knew each other? Why was any of this even happening?

"What the hell are you talking about?" The dark haired woman growled through clenched teeth. She grabbed at his wrists, digging her nails into the soft flesh there. A trail of scarlet streamed lightly from the wound onto her hand. Three drops hit the ground noiselessly before he continued.

"Suzume," The man began, "Was my ally from the beginning." His onyx eyes darkened as realization passed through the miko's expression. Good. Now to give her the last bit of detail she'd ever need before death.

"I _sent_ her to you wearing a special contraption that hid her true nature from you." Hatake paused for just a moment to watch her face shift once again into rage, "It took a few years, but we were able to create an object that would seal our powers temporarily and alter our appearance." His grip tightened as he pressed the fragile human further into the cold steel of her well house. "How many others do you think I've sent into your little group? Do you think Suzume is the only one? Granted that fox did manage to play you quite well." Hatake dipped his head low, pressed his lips against the shell of her ear, and whispered menacingly, "You were none the wiser to her little ploy were you? Face it Kagome, you'll always be nothing more than a pawn in our game. Give up now."

Kagome's mind was racing. Suzume was a traitor? But how could that be! Not once did she ever sense her presence as anything other than a human! Unless, that contraption Hatake spoke of really did exist. Could it have been her bracelet? The memory of an emerald bracelet came to mind. She had never seen the woman take it off. Was it possible? It appeared similar to that of Kazuhiro's amulet. Were they connected somehow? It was possible considering that Kazuhiro's family shrine was never successfully returned to him. Her chest constricted at the mere thought of him. Was his death really her fault? Was _everyone's_ death her fault?

"Shut the hell up!" The young woman yelled, her voice cracking a bit with fury. "I don't give a damn who you've managed to use to infiltrate our camp, but be warned I will find out who it is! And I will send their head back to you in a box!" She blasted him with as much miko-ki as she could possibly muster. "May the gods have mercy on your soul." The priestess said in a low, emotionless tone. It was devoid of any kind of life and love. For just a second, Hatake remembered what it felt like to experience fear.

Suddenly the building behind them burst. What felt like a powerful gust of wind ripped apart the building and blew it to bits. Kagome was sent flying, a large piece of metal piercing her side. She screamed in pain and clutched at the wound. The tile cracked against her other side harshly. By now she was certain that she not only had several broken ribs on one side, but some organs punctured on the other. With a cobalt eye narrowed in pain, she surveyed her surroundings. The only thought going through her mind was the desperate hope that the others had managed to escape to the other side by now. That was all she was asking for. Please don't let there be another death.

* * *

Souta stared in horror. There was no way. There was no damn way this was possible! The woman that they had known as "Suzume" laughed at them. Her brown eyes changed into amber colored ones and her brown hair elongated into thick, scarlet curls. She had been the person to heal their wounds when they were injured. Now she was going to be the monster that would tear them all apart.

"I'm surprised that none of you ever figured it out. That's right, I'm a fox demon. Congratulations for playing! The name's Ranshin and I'm here to kill you all." She laughed as her silver fangs glistened in the candle light. It was odd and otherworldly. The mere sight of the "new" appearance caused a chill to run down Souta's spine. "You guys were the _last hope_ of your dying race. You prided yourselves _so_ much on being strong and tolerant of those less fortunate. None of you ever guessed that a demon would just come waltzing into your camp like I did!" Ranshin laughed maniacally. "Your taishou is even more _stupid_ than you!"

Ranshin held Amaya by her throat. The girl's feet danged in the air as she struggled for breath. "Your leader _failed_ you!" She said specifically to the blonde, "If she were a _true_ miko she would've sensed my presence immediately. However," amber eyes lit with twisted delight, "It would seem that the death of her beloved fiance had clouded her senses. Makes you wonder doesn't it?" She pulled the girl close and whispered darkly in her ear, "Do you think she ever really had the power to save you at all?"

Isamu had seen enough. Fury burned hotly in his veins. Who did this bitch think she was insulting their leader? Their taishou did more than anybody else to keep them alive! The mere thought of her failing them was utterly incomprehensible. She was never the type of woman to give up, regardless of the situation! Deep seeded hatred flowed through his blood like fire. In a desperate attempt to save the young priestess, he slammed his shoulder into the woman's side. It knocked the fox off balance just enough to let the girl loose from her vice-like grip. Amaya coughed as Isamu swiftly pushed her behind him and into Kotone's arms.

Anger and hatred bubbled just beneath Isamu's skin. He could feel it. It was like a doorway had been opened for him. Power both familiar and foreign to him pulsated throughout his body. Stormy eyes concentrated on Ranshin's form. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he could tell that she was weak. Especially for a daiyoukai. She had very little power of her own. Most of what he sensed seemed to come from the bracelet that she wore. Well he'd just have to fix that now wouldn't he? He raised his hand and a rush of air shot out of it. The wind sharpened into a solid, blade-like substance and penetrated the youkai's flesh. Silver eyes narrowed with confidence. He shared a look with Souta and Takeshi. The message was clear even though no words passed between them. He would distract Ranshin while the other two evacuated the others to safety.

The youngest Higurashi sibling quickly ushered most of their members inside the well. The light of magic surrounded the inside and many were skeptical of jumping in. He tried his best to comfort them but to no avail.

"But Higurashi-san, we'll die if we jump!"

"How do you know we'll be saved!"

"Have you lost your damn mind!"

He had heard enough. Gathering all of his strength the teen yelled out, "This was a direct order from my sister. Disregard it and you'll be disobeying her!" Many quieted down but unfortunately Ranshin heard everything.

Her amber gaze fell to the well, "So this was your escape plan? Not bad at all. However I'm under strict orders not to let any of you live." She gave them a sinister smile, "Say goodbye."

Without thinking, Takeshi pushed the crowd into the well with all of his force. Souta jumped out of the way as Isamu rushed forward to stop the youkai's attack. She was met with a flesh-piercing gust of wind and the well house around them exploded.

By the time Souta looked up again, everything around them was in shambles. Isamu stood among the wreckage covered in Ranshin's blood. Her limp body laid strewn across rubble. He cringed in horror. What the hell was going on? Was Isamu part demon too? It didn't matter right now. They still needed to get his sister across the well too! His cobalt eyes surveyed the rest of the shrine in the hopes of finding his sibling. Fire scorched the once holy ground as blood painted the buildings red. This was what it meant to fight in a war? His heart ached. How many had died today? How many had they saved? What was all this for? He mustered the strength to stand on his feet. Where was she? Where was Kagome?

Not too far away said miko shook in pain. "Souta," she cried out weakly, "Get out of here!"

He along with Isamu quickly rushed to her side. The both looped one of her arms around their neck and supported her weight. She screamed in pain.

Hatake arose from the chaos as well. Large chunks of metal protruded from his shoulder and leg. The wounds themselves were superficial. He'd recover within a day or two. His onyx eyes were drawn to Kagome's limping form. She on the other hand would take much longer to recover. If he hurried, he could still stop the cycle. He could still save _her_ life.

Kagome's scream pierced his ears. He stopped. An emotion long lost resurfaced once again. Why couldn't he do it? Why couldn't he kill her? Cobalt met onyx in a battle of wills. Despite her wounds, she was determined to keep her 'friends' alive. The fire youkai collapsed to his knees. It wasn't the injuries that were hurting him. No, it was much deeper than that. It was his very soul that ached.

He watched as the three disappeared into the well together. Black hair danced in the wind as she fell into the dark abyss of the portal. He had failed. Now _she_ would die.

* * *

Miroku stared into the dark depths of the well. It had been five years since any of them had last seen their companion. Was she doing alright? Did she find love in the future? Was she happy now? These were all things that Miroku thought about when he visited this portal. Violet eyes darkened at the memory of her horrified face as she was sucked down into the well. It wasn't the ending any of them had hoped for. Somewhere deep inside their hearts, they selfishly desired for her to stay with them. Inuyasha and himself more so.

The inu hanyou may have been harsh in his treatment of her, but it was obvious he cared about her. Just not in the way she really wanted him to back then. His gaze narrowed as he watched the darkness shift within. An ancient power seemed to stir to life. His staff jingled as he shifted into a better position. Could the well be re-opening? He had sensed it earlier this morning. So after he finished exorcising the last of the low-leveled demons that haunted Inuyasha's forest, he chose to return here to check into it himself.

A dark and sinister part of himself whispered that he only returned here in the hope of avoiding his fiancee. It uttered the words that he could not bring himself to accept. Not after all that they had gone through together. Five years and he still couldn't bring himself to marry Sango. With Naraku gone there shouldn't have been any reason why he was so reluctant to go through with it. So why did he feel such despair at the thought? His chest clenched in sorrow. He was worthless. Was it because of Kagome? Was it concern for her well being that made him standoffish with his lover?

Violet eyes shadowed at the pang in his heart. It would be best if he swallowed his pride and focused on the present. The well was closed and there wasn't anything any of them could do about it. The monk turned on the ball of his foot. Dirt crunched under his heel as he made a move to leave the clearing. Then he heard it. The cackle of power surging to life and unfamiliar voices bickering amongst each other.

"Takeshi what the hell!"

"Where are we?"

"What's going on? Where's taishou!"

It was a conglomerate of males and females struggling against each other. He peered into the well and saw a shocking sight. Upwards of a dozen people were jostling amongst each other. Their eyes were a picture of fear and uncertainty. Yet their bodies were covered in scars and filth. Miroku looked over the lip of the well.

"Are you all right?" He queried. The monk had seen many things in his years but this was a first. Were these people from Kagome's time?

Twelve pairs of eyes turned up at him and simultaneously widened in shock?

"Kazuhiro?"

"Kazuhiro is back from the dead!"

His brow arched in confusion. Kazuhiro? Who the hell was that?

"Just hold on! I send down a rope to help you!" Miroku called. However his voice was drowned out by their tears of happiness. What in the world was going on? As soon as they made it to land, he found himself lying flat on his back with several pairs of arms around him. Miroku stared up at the sky, utterly lost. Who was Kazuhiro?

* * *

Isamu and Souta landed on the ground easily. Kagome hung limply from their hold. It was clear that she was in dire need of a doctor. She was going to bleed out if this kept up.

"Are you guys up there?" The younger sibling called, "We need a doctor immediately!"

The happy "reunion" came to an abrupt ending. Takeshi, Shika, and Kotone rushed over to the well. One by one they climbed down and helped secure a rope around their leader's waist. Kagome cringed and bit her lip. Searing hot pain shot through her body. Even with what little power she had, it wouldn't be enough to heal her injuries.

A cobalt eye opened slowly to see her people crowding around Miroku's form. It must've been such a shock for them. However their hopes of their friend and comrade returning from the dead was not meant to be. Miroku wasn't Kazuhiro. Nor was Kazuhiro ever Miroku. That was exactly how she preferred it too. It'd be much too complicated if she believed them to be the same. Just like between her and Kikyou, they were both different people in different times. Shika hauled her from the well onto the ground gently. The priestess smiled kindly. It was the first they had seen in well over a year.

"That's not Kazuhiro," Kagome wrapped her arm around Shika's neck as the hanyou lifted her to her feet. The miko's eyes met the monk's, "It's been a while, Miroku." She couldn't help it. Tears of happiness and relief began to flow from her one good eye. They were home. The war was over. For the first time, she had hope that her people would be given the chance to choose their own path. Hopefully in this time, they would never need to experience the fears of death and war all over again. She held hope that maybe now, they could live their lives in peace.

The monk was awestruck. This woman was Kagome. That he could sense, but she wasn't the same. Her shirt was torn and ripped in many places, blood seeping through the gashes. A large, black patch covered one of her eyes and half of her face. The young woman's cheekbones were sunken in. Her skin was pale and her body appeared frail, even without the injuries. It was as if she had been living off of scraps. Without his even knowing, tears began to flow down his own face. A mixture of sorrow and hope tore at his heart. What had happened to her? To all of them? The monk threw down his staff and gathered the miko into his arms.

It wouldn't be long before Inuyasha arrived, so he'd only have to go a short distance. Still, if she wasn't given to Lady Rin soon she'd die.

"Follow me!" The man called to the strangers. He wasn't sure what was happening, all he knew was that they were with Kagome. That was enough for him. Any ally of Kagome was an ally of his.

His heart beat rapidly in his chest. Kagome's injuries were more sever than he realized. Holding her in his arms he could see the blood draining away. The ribs in her side felt awkward, as if they had been broken in multiple places. Resolved filled his entire being. He took off into the forest as quickly as he could. He'd be damned if he allowed her to die.

**A/n:** Please forgive quite a bit of the typos and awkward paragraphs. I had all typed up then Doc Manager decided to "rearrange" paragraphs as it pleased. So now I'm going through and making sure everything is back in the order it should be and fixing original typos. -_- Sooo, thoughts? Concerns? Criticisms? After posting "Hell" recently, I've become increasingly concerned about whether people have been enjoying the stories that I've written. I've already accepted the fact that since this story is not a crossover and contains original characters that it will not be popular. However, I would like to see some kind of evidence of whether the readers are enjoying these works or not. This is in no way a review demand. All that I'm asking for is that if there is something that you think is 'off' or that you find is 'crap' then please leave a PM or review to let me know. I just become concerned after seeing the number of hits rise and receive no feedback to correlate with that rise. I truly am excited to write this story and I would love to hear what little amount of readers I have for it have to say about it.

Even if you're opposed to reviewing, I'd truly appreciate a PM in its place instead. All that I'm asking is to hear from you. I know these long chapters can be daunting to read, but I've been doing this to give ample time to develop characters while sticking to the plot. If the character development were to be cut out then I could probably write 4k word chapters instead. Either way, I'd truly love to hear from all my readers. Even those who don't have such a high opinion of this story. I'm not sure when the next update will be, but I'm going to try my hardest to get one up weekly. As always, let me know if there's anything you see off even if it's just spelling errors. We're all humans and as a result we're susceptible to making mistakes. Acknowledging and correcting those mistakes is what makes us stronger. So in essence, I welcome all kinds of feedback including the negative variety. Thank you all very much for your interest, I truly do appreciate it!


	3. Origins of the War

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Summary:_ Actions must always have an opposing and equal reaction. What one does one day might come back and hurt them the next. In Kagome's case, she's only got one chance to make things right. Just one chance to return to the past and prevent the war between humans and demons that has left their world covered in ash and blood.

_**The Hands Stained With Sin** _

**Chapter Three:** Origins of the War

Rin watched as the demon slayer absent-mindedly combed her fingers through Kirara's fur. Night had fallen many an hour ago, still their monk companion had yet to return. The priestess gave the older woman a comforting smile as she placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"He'll be back soon." She said softly. The teenaged girl felt bad for Sango. The poor woman had waited so many years for her fiancé to finally tie the knot with her. Now he was off gallivanting and probably doing unspeakable things. She had half the mind to pull him by his ear and give him a good lecture about how to treat a real lady. Still, it wasn't exactly her place to berate him. That was Sango's job. Lord Sesshoumaru had always taught her to never engage in any kind of confrontation unless absolutely necessary. That also included starting a confrontation with others. So she'd sit back for now and let the lovers settle their dispute on their own.

The slayer nodded at her friend before returning to her attention to her nekomata. How many hours had it been now since he promised to return? Sure she knew that Miroku was a bit of a pervert, but she didn't think that he'd still be acting like this once the curse was removed. Somewhere deep her heart Sango honestly believed that the monk only acted as he did out of desperation. She truly believed that once the threat of his life ending at any moment was over, he'd become a stand up man and husband to her. Now she was beginning to double think her choice in men. Was there something wrong with _her_ to cause this? Did he just not love her enough? Or perhaps she had driven him away with one too many slaps? Sango's hazel eyes darkened in the firelight. Kirara mewled happily as she began to massage a black tipped ear. A gentle smile crossed her features. At the very least she could count on good ole Kirara to be by her side no matter what.

Inuyasha sat a short distance away. His amber eyes were focused on the darkened forest. A silver ear twitched slightly. There were odd sounds being carried on the wind. Sixteen pairs of feet were charging straight for their little village. Not only that but he caught the monk's scent on the wind.

"That idiot," the hanyou began, "I swear if he got himself into trouble I'm going to kick his ass myself!" He growled in irritation. Then it hit him. The scent of cherry blossoms and fresh rainwater. Golden eyes widened drastically. Could it really be? His heart stopped as the wind carried an extra smell. It was metallic, almost like copper. Blood. Way too much of it. He rushed out of the hut without so much as a word to the women. Kirara also detected the new scents and was quickly engulfed in flames. Her body stretched and grew into her battle form. Crimson eyes narrowed as she growled for her mistress to climb upon her back. Sango did so without question. Rin grabbed her bow and quiver. With a graceful bound, she was situated fully behind the slayer on the demon's back. The group took off into the darkness towards the commotion.

Hazel eyes narrowed as Sango tried to peer down at the group heading towards their village. Including Miroku, there was sixteen of them. From her perch above she could clearly see him holding a woman in his arms. His face was clenched in desperation and blood soaked his robes. As her vision adjusted to the dark, shock filled her own eyes. The woman was Kagome. Kirara flew down close as she tried to get a better view of what had happened.

"Let me see her!" Rin ordered firmly. She leapt gracefully from the nekomata's back and landed noiselessly next to Miroku. Her eyes narrowed as she got a closer look at Kagome's wounds. Twisted metal protruded from one side while her other side appeared bent and awkward. She rested her hands on the woman's injured frame. Closing her eyes she allowed her power to wash over her. From within she could see the extent of the damage. A few of her internal organs had been ruptured. Not only that but her rib cage was so broken that she wasn't sure if it could be fixed properly. As of now, the only thing holding her body together was the debris that had caused the damage in the first place.

"Get her to the village immediately!" Rin commanded, "I'll need to send word for Lord Sesshoumaru. He's the only one who can heal her now." The young miko's voice was soft this time. What had happened on the other side? What terrible apocalypse had befallen the future to cause such horrific wounds? Her gaze wandered around those who had followed their monk companion. Many of them bore scars across their flesh. One in particular, a large and burly man with muscles as thick as her torso, was covered in them from head to toe. They crisscrossed in x-shaped patterns and in diagonals down his biceps. It had looked like each one of them had traversed the planes of hell itself.

Inuyasha gingerly took his friend from Miroku's arms. Amber eyes darkened in fear and anger. Who would've done such a thing to her? He winced at the patch that covered her eye. Although he couldn't see the damage, he could still smell the scent of dried blood that lingered on the cloth. It couldn't have been that long ago that she had suffered the injury.

"Inuyasha!" Souta called out as he pushed his way forward. The half demon was forced to contain his shock. The little boy that idolized his every move was gone. Standing before him was a man who had seen death and despair. The inu hanyou wasn't sure how to explain it, but he could just see the pain reflected in the young man's eyes. His heart tore into two. Both of the siblings had suffered so much and he hadn't been there to protect them. Clawed hands trembled. He had failed them. Due to his own selfishness, both Kagome and Souta were now in this situation. Guilt dug its fanged teeth deep into his heart. He would never forgive himself.

"Inuyasha!" Souta called again as he caught up to the half demon, "Please, will she be alright?" Despite his best efforts he couldn't contain his emotions. The teen knew that he should have kept better control over his fear. No matter how small their group was now, they needed to know that their leader would be okay. She was their last bit of hope. If he, her very brother, began to doubt then they would most certainly fall victim to their own fears. Many were lost and confused right now. None of them were really sure of where they were or who most of these people were. Their eyes darted around wildly and they kept their weapons up just in case. The only person they were slightly comfortable with was Miroku. In which case that was merely due to his physical appearance. He looked like Kazuhiro, so they subconsciously took to him. Only himself and Miroku would be able to reason with them if things were to get out of hand. Souta steeled himself as best he could for their sake. He had to be strong, now more than ever.

Inuyasha couldn't answer him. There was so much blood in the air that he wasn't certain himself if she was going to make it. If Rin was correct in her assumption, then the only person who could possible save her life was Sesshoumaru. Favors like that from the youkai lord were so rare that he wasn't so sure the dog would do it. Even if it was on Rin's behalf. What would he have to gain from it? Amber eyes narrowed in concern. He had to get her back to the village at least. Then he'd take Rin to go see Sesshoumaru. The bastard was the only one who could help them at this point. Turning his gaze back towards Souta, he shook his head in uncertainty. He wasn't going to lie to him. The kid needed to know the truth. Filling him with false hope would only increase his pain later down the line if she did die.

Kagome grimaced in his arms. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. Inuyasha felt his body tremble with pent up rage and hatred. He _would_ find the one responsible for this, then he'd kill them slowly by yanking their intestines out from their belly and force-feeding it to them. He straightened his shoulders and faced the crowd in front of him.

"We need to get her to Rin's place for now. She'll need her rest." They seemed to have visibly relaxed at this point, but not completely. The burly man kept glaring at him with distrust. The very essence of hatred poured from his soul. The hanyou stared at him momentarily. Any other day he would've already picked a fight with the human, but not today. This was not the time or place. Ignoring the others he leapt up in the air with Kagome held tightly in his arms. His mind flashed back to the last any of them had seen her. She had been in such pain then. Her soul had been ripped from her body only to be used to encompass the jewel. His heart clenched. It was their failure to destroy the damned thing that caused this. If they hadn't forced her to seal it, then maybe the well wouldn't have closed. Maybe they could've saved her before whatever hell broke out on her side. Either way, Inuyasha knew the moment that her body was dragged back through the well that things would never be the same again. A part of each of them died that day. Out of guilt or self-directed anger, he didn't know.

The morning's light was beginning to peak over the treetops. A monochrome of blue and purple lit up their sky. The stars were beginning to fade from view, but as he bounded over one branch to the next an old conversation flooded his mind.

_"What do you think the stars do during the day?" Kagome smiled as she pressed her face into the crook of Inuyasha's neck. The inu hanyou scoffed._

_"As if I'd know that. What brought this up anyways?" He growled, craning his neck to look at her face. The miko laughed as she tightened her grip on his haori._

_"Oh nothing, I was just thinking that's all. Besides, don't you think it's beautiful?" She poked his cheek playfully._

_"What are you going on about?" He snapped, not really sure of where she was going with this seemingly pointless conversation._

_"Dawn!" She laughed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Don't you think it's beautiful when the sun rises like this?" She lifted her hand to point towards the rising sun over the village. Amber eyes narrowed as his expression deadpanned._

_"What? You never thought so?" Kagome glanced back at him. Her cobalt eyes appeared to light up more brightly with the sun's rays. A small, nearly imperceptible blush flooded his cheeks._

_"No, not really." He answered simply._

_"Such a shame though," Her eyes darkened as her hair fluttered about in the wind, "I always wondered what happened to the stars during the day. Do they just disappear?" He shrugged his shoulders and gave her his usual cocky grin._

_"What does it matter? You'll see them again tonight won't you?" He returned to jumping over the trees back to Kaede's village. "Besides, if the stars were going to disappear then they wouldn't show up at night." Her laugh filled his ears._

_"You're right, sorry I asked." They glided over to their destination in silence, an amicable feeling of content was shared between the two._

He didn't quite comprehend what she meant then, but now he did. The stars, he believed, would not disappear. He'd make damned sure hers didn't either. Even if it meant beating his ass of a half-brother to within an inch of his life—he'd do it. Just to make sure that she'd get another chance. One where she could actually make her _own_ decision about how to live her life. They had already forced her into enough already. He'd be damned if he didn't at least give her that choice. They all owed her that much.

Silver hair swayed with the wind. The air was cool and the scent of morning dew was beginning to pervade his senses. Only a little bit longer now. The first of the villagers were already making their rounds through the fields. They stopped and turned their gazes up at the silver-hanyou shooting across the sky like a silver light.

Inuyasha didn't stop until he reached Rin's hut. The fire was still going, albeit it was more of a dull spark instead of the full flame it had been the previous night. He gently laid the young woman down on a futon and proceeded to throw more wood into the pit. Winter was going to arrive soon and with it the cold. Amber eyes watched as Kagome wheezed painfully. He cringed, placing a clawed hand on her forehead. Thankfully she didn't have a fever yet. Still, he'd need to reach Sesshoumaru as soon as possible. Although it wasn't like his brother was going to listen to him at all. Even if he begged, pleaded, and beat his ass a little for good measure, there was no guarantee that the bastard would ever agree to sparing the miko's life. There was only one person in the world that he'd _ever_ take a request from.

With Tessaiga in hand, Inuyasha rose to his feet. It didn't take long for the rest of the group to arrive. Rin was at the front. Her face was pulled into a deep furrow of concern. She brushed right past him in favor of checking on the injured woman in her home. Hazel eyes narrowed in concentration. She checked her temperature before pulling at the clothes she wore. She needed to have a better idea at the extent of the damage. In order to do that, Kagome's clothes would have to be removed. Many of the men in the hut immediately turned around or went outside save for Souta, the large man from before, and another teen. The women stayed by their leader's side.

Inuyasha leveled his gaze with the young man before him. Souta gazed right back at him with despair and the tiniest bit of hope. If they were here, then at least they might finally get the chance to move on with their lives. He remembered always wanting to follow his big sister down the well to fight demons. Now that he was actually here, the only thing he could think about was whether or not she'd survive. He feared for her. Without her, they'd be lost. Him especially. She was the only family he had left and he wasn't keen on losing her any time soon.

"I think we all need an explanation." The hanyou began slowly. Souta nodded at him. He understood his meaning completely. Not only did he have to explain the events in the future that lead to this, but they both needed to explain Kagome's past to the others. None of them ever knew about her history of fighting demons. Though many presumed it a possibility, they just never would have believed that she travelled in the past to do so.

"It began five years ago. A phenomenon occurred where the moon and stars started to blur. It was like a film had been placed over the sky. Unfortunately that was only just a warning." Souta started as memories filled his mind. "The first known attack was actually one on our system of communication." Cobalt eyes narrowed as images of news headlines and clips echoed in his mind. "In the beginning cell phones went down. Then our internet. After that all forms of network and electronic communication was destroyed. After about a week there was widespread panic of it being the work of a cyber attack. Some thought that the ones responsible were radicals of some cult, and theoretically speaking, they were." His hand balled into a fist as a thin trail of blood trickled between his index and middle finger. "At some point the youkai of our time decided that they'd had enough of hiding. So they erected a barrier around Japan. One that would block all forms of communication and isolate us from the rest of the world. No matter how hard we've tried, none of us has successfully made it past the barrier. They only way we were able to communicate was through radio." He gestured towards the black object strapped to his sleeve.

"Once the barrier was fully erected all hell broke loose." Souta's body trembled in hatred and rage at the next set of memories, "Our shrine was one of the first ones attacked. I don't even remember which demons were the ones that got us but they killed Mom and Gramps before they had a chance. They were about to kill me too," He tensed up at the image of a golden-eyed youkai leering down upon his form. He shuddered violently, but Amaya's hand stopped him. She grabbed hold of his fist and held it gently. Souta took a deep breath and continued, "Kagome had just returned that week. She was still uncertain and weak," Inuyasha diverted his gaze to the fire as guilt tore at his heart, "I was lucky. She woke up just in time to save me. We had to hide out in the slums for the next week just so we could stock up on enough weapons and supplies. When we returned, she took them all out like it was nothing. She put up an even stronger barrier around the shrine than before. Since then we had been taking in as many survivors as we could. Still," Souta paused before staring over at Miroku. His cobalt eyes held a deep despair.

"Just last year we had over a hundred members." The teen continued softly, "Now we're down to fifteen if you include myself and Kagome."

Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha stared on in horror.

"What happened?" The slayer asked, her voice trembling.

"Those damn fire demons is what happened!" Takeshi spat viciously. He rounded his fierce glare onto the younger Higurashi sibling, "And you! What the hell is going on here? Why are you letting a damned _hanyou_ near taishou!"

The hair on the back of Inuyasha's neck bristled. What the hell was up with this guy? He had half the mind to beat him to a pulp, but a woman with short brown hair and matching eyes beat him to the punch. Quite literally. Shika plowed her curled fist into Takeshi's jaw as her eyes narrowed in disgust at the man.

"Unless you've forgotten, I'm a hanyou too!" She growled through clenched teeth, "Besides I'm sure Souta was going to get to that part. It's obvious they've known each other for a while. Hell, just look at the way she reacted to _him_!" She jutted a clawed finger towards Miroku's hunched form. His violet eyes lit up in shock. What was that supposed to mean? "She knew his name and everything! So it's pretty damn clear to me that taishou actually knows these people." The inu hanyou crossed her arms as she stood over Takeshi. He laid sprawled out on his back clutching at his throbbing jaw. He was thankful that she hadn't decided to break it. The temperamental woman had done it once before when he had made some offhand comments about her youkai lineage. It had taken what felt like forever for it to heal completely. The muscular human grunted but turned his face away, shame flaming his cheeks. Shika did have a point about their taishou's reaction. She _knew_ these people somehow. Although he wasn't entirely certain if he liked the thought of that.

Souta sighed as he turned his attention back to the others. There was so much that needed to be explained and so little time. "Takeshi wasn't that far off though." He began as Amaya's grasp on his palm tightened, "Since the first assault on humanity, both youkai and ningen alike have banded into clans. The fire youkai responsible for most of our destruction call themselves the Hibana clan. They along with a clan of wolf and dog demons that call themselves the Gunken have been tracking us for a long time." He readjusted his hand to show the small group of people a scarlet symbol stitched into the cloth of his sleeve. It was a dog with its teeth bared enclosed in a circle. "We call ourselves the Banken."

"We had strength in numbers. We also became a beacon of hope for the rest of the human clans but…" The teen trailed off as he glanced back at Miroku. "After a particular person's death there was a lot of turmoil in our group. Many people doubted Kagome's ability to lead us clearly."

Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha sat closer to the young man. While neither the slayer or the monk had met the boy personally before now, they could see the stress and pain he had endured in his very expression. The teen's face was pulled into a deep shadow of despair. His eyes were devoid of many emotions and his body was littered with scars. One peeked from the top of his collarbone and disappeared into the dark cloth of his shirt. They could only surmise what might've happened to leave such a mark upon his body.

Amaya gently stood. There was a sharp pain in her chest. She didn't need to hear the rest. She already knew what happened from this point on and have already lived through it once. There was no need to relive it again—even if it was only a distant memory that haunted her. Amaya's azure eyes glanced between the people around them. She didn't know who they were, but she could see hqow much they feared and worried for their leader. It was painfully clear that their taishou had some kind of history with them—one that she did not divulge to them. She had so many questions and so few answers. How much did they really know about Kagome? Who was she really? The older miko's words before echoed in her mind.

_You don't get the choice. You were born into this. Just as I was._

Was this what she meant? Had she been forced into this position by coming to this place? Wherever this place was. Quietly, she stepped past the group and joined the other miko known as Rin who was currently patching up their leader. The blonde grabbed her teacher's hand and stayed by her side silently. She deserved their support for now. She'd worry about asking her for the truth later.

Souta and the others watched her. Isamu closed his eyes and sighed. That was to be expected. She wasn't yet prepared to hear this next part again. Souta glanced between the remaining survivors still within the hut. Many of the men had vacated for the outside so he didn't need to worry about them. The rest of them nodded their approval for the young man to continue. They couldn't run away from it. It was part of their past.

"There was a coup d'état," He started, "It was ignited after a faction within our group became dissatisfied with Kagome's leadership. They wanted to oust her as leader and throw her out of her own shrine." The was a collective gasp of outrage and fury.

"Now hold on!" Miroku began as the blood beneath his skin boiled over hotly, "Who did these people think they were to throw a priestess out of her own shrine?" He growled piercing the others with a furious glare.

Souta raised his hands, "That's the thing. The man responsible for all the uprising simply didn't care. All he wanted was power. So it came out that he had teamed up with some of the fire youkai. Apparently one of them claimed that they'd give him immortality and grant him immunity from the youkai clans if he could just do one thing for them." His cobalt eyes narrowed as clenched his fist, "Kill Kagome."

"We lost so many people during that time. Amaya was only just brought on, but they already had their sights set on her since she was the newest recruit and a miko like my sister." Three pairs of eyes quickly swiveled to look at the blonde. She didn't respond to their questioning stares. Instead she held her taishou's hand even tighter as her heart ached beneath her breast. How could she have been such a fool?

"Their original plan was to slowly recruit more people that would be willing to overthrow Kagome. They tried convincing Amaya that she wasn't interested in the safety of the people. They also whispered about Kazuhiro's death. Claimed that if she allowed him to die, then what was to stop her from sacrificing others to save her own skin? Of course it was all bullshit, but the new people didn't know that."

Miroku interrupted again, only this time his voice was much calmer, "Who was Kazuhiro? He was mentioned earlier and I was mistaken for him as well."

Souta sighed and shook his head. This one would be hard. "Kazuhiro was Kagome's fiancé. At least up until a year ago when he was slaughtered." He fixed his gaze on the black cloth that covered his sibling's eye, "That was how she lost her eye. Kazuhiro was a monk that hailed from the opposite side of town. He had heard about Kagome's success in retaking her shrine and wanted help in securing his family's own shrine from the Hibana clan. He travelled with us for a few years and they had gotten close. The day before they were to take his shrine back, he proposed to her. Told her that after everything was over he'd marry her and take her on a trip to Hawaii." A small smile cracked through his mask of despair, "Kagome laughed at him of course but she promised to hold him to it. The next day, they were discovered too early. Kazuhiro was killed and Kagome lost her eye trying to save him. She told me that it was the only scar that she'd ever regret."

Souta looked up to meet the monk's gaze, "It's easy to see why you were confused for him though. You look just like him. Except for the robe of course." There was a disturbing silence among them.

"After Kazuhiro died. Everything just went to hell. That guy I mentioned before became hell bent on getting Kagome killed. He did everything he could to try to kill her off, but every time he'd fail. The last time he tried we discovered his true goals and there was an attempt at a hostile takeover." He shifted and leaned his head back against the wooden panels of the hut. His eyes looked up at the ceiling above and he couldn't help but wonder how everything had happened as it did. "We lost most of our members during that take over. There was so much fighting going on, we didn't know who was our enemy anymore. Was the youkai or was it ourselves? Either way more than half of our forces died that night. The rest were picked off by the Hibana and Gunken clans. So there you have it. We're now down to fifteen members and had to flee here just to escape persecution." He pointed towards Kagome's grave wounds, "Those happened just trying to get here. Their leader, Hatake, has seriously got a grudge against her. No one really knows why he does but he was the one that did that to her. He was also the one that destroyed her eye. Thankfully, she managed to buy us enough time to make it through the portal before we suffered any more losses. Though, I'm not sure about her injuries."

Rin shook her head. There was nothing more she could do. Her gaze softened at the sight of scars that littered her body. They were everywhere. Large scars crisscrossed over her torso. Small ones were scattered about in between the large ones. It was painfully clear that the poor woman had gone through hell and back to keep her people alive. The young woman was forced to shake tears from her eyes.

"Inuyasha, would you mind taking me to Lord Sesshoumaru?" She asked quietly.

"So it is that bad? I was hoping you'd be able to help her before going to him," The inu hanyou sighed as he crouched for her to climb on, "I'll be back before you know it kid." He directed his comment towards the now grown up Souta. Inuyasha still couldn't believe his eyes, or his ears for that matter. He had heard their story, seen the scars over Kagome's body, yet still he couldn't quite bring himself to fully believe something as catastrophic as that happened. Either way, he desperately needed to find his brother if he wanted to save her. Sango and Miroku were going to have to explain the rest to them. There was no more time for words.

Rin crawled onto his back and cast a sidelong glance towards the blonde. She had sensed it earlier. That girl had a great deal of untapped power but it was restrained somehow. Perhaps it was her own pain?

"Don't give up just yet," The priestess started at the other girl, "We'll be back soon with more help. He'll be able to fix her up in no time." She gave a reassuring smile before Inuyasha took off. He leaped forward with all of his might and started on his task of tracking down his brother. The inu hanyou only hoped that Rin's persistence would pay off and he'd agree to save her.

Miroku and Sango watched quietly as the two took off. Now it was their turn to explain what had happened prior. Sango held Kirara close as she glanced towards the ground. It wasn't an ending that any of them wanted. Still, they owed it to these people to inform them of what had happened and where they were now.

The monk stood and offered his hand to the wary clan. "You've all been through a lot. It'd be best if you'd get some rest before we started our explanation. There are plenty of places here that can accommodate you until Lord Sesshoumaru arrives." Unfortunately the priest was rudely interrupted.

"Who the hell is this Lord Sesshoumaru anyways? Who are you people? How do you know taishou? And where in the _hell_ are we?" Takeshi bellowed loudly. The rest of the group peered in to see what was happening to cause such a rise of tone in their muscular companion. He was well beyond his capacity for patience. They were suddenly in a strange place with some guy who called himself "Miroku" that looked just like the dead Kazuhiro and a hanyou and oddball people acting familiar with his taishou. He had just about had it by the time Souta started his little explanation of their past history. He was partially tempted to smack the boy for his loose lips but the hanyou's familiarity with the Higurashi family stopped him. As if things could get anyworse, that damned hanyou from before took off with the only other person that could have possible healed their leader. What in the hell was going on here? He wanted answers damn it and he wanted them _now_!

"Show some damn respect Takeshi!" Souta snapped, rising quickly to meet the other man face-to-face. The two were about to square off when Isamu stepped between. Just as tall as Takeshi but slightly less muscular, the teen made for a great human barrier between the two. He often had to play mediator between Souta and Takeshi as their personalities often collided.

"Settle down you two. I think we owe it to hear their explanation as well." He turned his silvery gaze onto Souta, "How do you and Kagome know these people?" The Higurashi teen sighed. Wrapping his arms around his head he shot a pleading glance towards Sango and Miroku.

"I think it'd be better if they explained it. I was more of a bystander in the whole thing." He turned his back to Takeshi and mentioned, "I only know what Kagome told me. They were the ones that were there with her the whole time."

Isamu nodded and looked back at the other two. The man's appearance was greatly unsettling for him. Why did he look so similar to Kazuhiro? How did any of them know Kagome? He was just as keen to find the answers to these questions as the others. So he'd give them the chance to elucidate the situation.

Sango brushed Kirara's fur between her fingers. Her gaze turned upwards towards the man they called Takeshi. Judging by the furious expression, he was going to be one tough customer. The slayer only hoped that things would turn out all right.

"We were friends of Kagome but about five years ago that portal you used to get here sealed and we weren't able to see her anymore." She started off. It was vague at best but she had yet to figure out a way to properly describe the full situation.

Miroku shook his head and clarified, "What she means is that the well you jumped through was actually a rip in the fabric of time." There was a collective gasp of shock and disbelief, "What we know about it is that it allowed Kagome passed from ten years ago to five years ago. It was functional only for five years before sealing itself. The portal is a bridge between two time periods that are five hundred years apart." His violet eyes darkened as he spoke the next part, "You are currently in the Feudal Era." The hut erupted in confusion.

_**A/n:**_ Well I did try with this one, but I felt that if I added too much more on then it'd become too daunting. So I'm going to try to snip chapters into six thousand words or less. Also I'm going to try to be doing a lot more development on the OCs so they become more familiar and less like a "name on the page". This chapter as more about setting a backstory into how things really got as bad as they did. I really wanted to give just a hint here about what happened and divulge more deeply in later chapters in what exactly happened and why. So it's gonna be a long ride. And no, I was not hinting at an Inuyasha/Kagome pair in this chapter. In fact, I think they make a cute brother/sister kind of pair but not in the romantic sense. I was trying to emulate that feeling here in that chapter. While Inuyasha and Kagome may not be lovers, they do genuinely care about each other in a very familial way. There was so much more I wanted to add it, but it would probably have taken too much space. I'll try to add more in during the next chapter, which hopefully I'll be able to bring Sesshoumaru into. So as always, do let me know what you think. I greatly appreciate all of your support!


	4. The Cycle Begins

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

_Summary:_ Actions must always have an opposing and equal reaction. What one does one day might come back and hurt them the next. In Kagome's case, she's only got one chance to make things right. Just one chance to return to the past and prevent the war between humans and demons that has left their world covered in ash and blood.

_**The Hands Stained With Sin** _

**Chapter Four** : The Cycle Begins

_Kagome crouched by the river. The starlight above reflected beautifully against the placid, mirror-like surface of the water. It was odd. The stream usually flowed much more swiftly. Tonight it was a calm and gentle current. Cobalt eyes stared deep into the depths of the canal. Perhaps the others were correct in their thinking. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was…_ off _though. The miko couldn't quite explain it, but she felt that their current plan was one that would never work. Wishing the jewel out of existence was an option, but there was something about that plan that kept bothering her. It had refused to grant Naraku's wish before, so why would it grant her wish now?_

_She sighed and rolled the glass marble between her fingers. She had originally given it to Shippou as a gift, but he gave it back to her as a way to 'remember him' while he was off training to become a full-fledged kitsune youkai. Kagome squeezed it tightly in her palm before rolling it between her fingers again. It wasn't going to work. She could just feel it in her very being. The shikon pulsated beneath her shirt, as if to reaffirm her belief. If she were to make that wish then it's possible it'd open the floodgates to bestow an even worse fate upon them all then what they currently had. Her eyes narrowed. She_ would not _allow that to happen._

_The sound of metal jingling to the beat of footsteps alerted Kagome to her monk friend's presence. Miroku approached and quietly sat next to her. They sat in silence for a few minutes. It was a peaceful and unassuming atmosphere between the two of them. For weeks now the monk had taken up the responsibility of training her to her full capacity. She had learned much within that time and often felt most comfortable in his presence—especially since Sango often watched their training sessions. The monk kept his hands to himself and she was free to relax. Still, since then he had learned to become a proper gentleman. Kagome presumed that it had something to do with asking the slayer to be his wife once everything settled down. Her heart warmed at the memory. She was glad for them. It gave them some bit of hope for the future._

_"Thoughts troubling you Lady Kagome?" Miroku finally interjected as she started using her foot to push a newly formed crevice in the dirt. She brushed it back and forth in the semi-dried surface. It had rained a few days ago so the surface was stilly partially moist. The sound of it shifting beneath her weight was comforting in a way that was nearly unexplainable._

_"The jewel," She began as her foot stilled, "Do you really think it'd grant us that wish?" She turned to give her companion an uncertain stare, "It refused Naraku's wish for Kikyou's heart. So if it could do that, do you really think it'd destroy itself?" She glanced at the marble in her hand once more. There was more at stake here than just her own life in the future._

_The priest cupped his chin in a thoughtful manner. He too worried about such an outcome. The real question remained that if they risked wishing the jewel out of existence, would it then retaliate against them? While the spirit of Naohi was good and pure, the spirit of Magatsuhi was not. Naohi's current power was so miniscule compared to her devious counterpart that he was sure that there was no way they'd successfully make the wish. They'd have to purify it first. Even then, would it really come true? Naraku's wish, although selfish, was cast upon a purified jewel. It was indeed possible that the jewel saw how selfish that wish was and refused it for that purpose. But it could also be that it had other intentions. What those intentions could be, he had no idea. Still this was all speculation. At least, he had an alternative._

_"Might I suggest another theory?" He queried, taking in her fretful expression, "What if we sealed it away?" He pointed towards the fragment of the jewel that hung from her neck, "It was born within your body, so it's possible that you and you alone hold the key to imprisoning it once again."_

_Kagome cocked her head to the side, "Once again?"_

_He nodded, "Yes, I find it hard to believe that no demons exist in your time. Even if that were true, there are many humans that still possess the power to sense it. Therefore it's likely that you had some innate ability to hide its presence from the world itself." His violet eyes glanced over towards her. There were many things about her past that was entrenched in mystery. Such as how had she managed to remain so oblivious to the jewel's presence until her first trip here? There was only one explanation that he could come up with. "You were probably born with the spiritual power necessary to seal the Shikon away within yourself. Had you remained in the future, it's highly unlikely that you would have ever discovered it." She stared at him in shock. Was that true?_

_"I can't say with any certainty that this is fact, but my theory is that you were blessed with your powers as a way to prevent another calamity like the one that created the jewel in the beginning. If any single demon or human for that matter managed to get their hands on the Shikon, then it'd be over for the rest of the world." He closed his eyes and turned his chin upwards towards the starry sky. "I think that instead of being Lady Kikyou's reincarnation, you were meant to be her successor in a way that you'd be able to keep the jewel sealed within yourself and prevent it from ever having the chance to reinter the living word as its physical self. In essence, you'd become the barrier between the shikon and the outside world."_

_"What are you saying?" She leaned closer, her heart pounding at the revelation. Was that true? After all this time of living in Kikyou's shadow and struggling to keep up with the battle for the jewel, was it possible that the shikon was never supposed to have left her body?_

_"I'm saying that instead of wishing for the jewel to destroy itself, it might be more prudent to reseal it within you. After all you managed to live a peaceful life up until Mistress Centipede pulled you through the well. So given that fact, you can probably successfully reseal it without any repercussions," His brows knotted as he thought over the idea, "Of course the part of your soul that was with Lady Kikyou is now gone." He hummed in frustration, "It's odd that, that part never returned. Could it be possible that there might be an additional effect if you were to 'retake' the jewel without the aide of that part of your soul?"_

_Kagome looked up towards the sky. "You say that I can probably reseal it right?" He nodded slowly but was wary to say for certain._

_"It's a possibility, but I'm not sure how secure a seal like that would be. It'd put your very soul at risk of being taken over if it's not up to the task."_

_She shook her head, "I'll try." The priestess began as she smiled up at the glittering stars, "I have to, you know? It was born into this world at the same time that I was, so I think it'll be fine. I've lived beside it all this time. I think I can handle it." Although she said that with confidence, she didn't feel that much. It gave her hope, but Kagome was not confident. If her soul truly was lacking then it'd be an impossible task. However she'd try regardless. That was her responsibility. She brought it into this world in the first place. It was her duty to see that it never fell into the wrong hands again. She only hoped that she had the strength to withstand it. The last thing she ever wanted to do would be to put her friends and family in unnecessary risk._

_Miroku eyed the placid waters with a contemplative stare. There was one thing that he hadn't mentioned. Even if Kagome managed to reseal the jewel into herself, when she died and her soul reincarnated, the Shikon would then follow her into that life as well. In the end the cycle would just continue on again. Violet eyes closed as he leaned back and took in the quiet surroundings. The monk only hoped that everything would turn out alright in the end. It was the only thing they could do._

* * *

Inuyasha bounded swiftly through the forest. Rin was quietly clinging to his back. She might have only recently taken over Lady Kaede's position as the head miko of the village, but Rin knew how dire Kagome's situation really was. She sincerely doubted that she'd live to see them arrive. Right now Lord Sesshoumaru was their only hope in ensuring her survival—particularly if she passed away within the next few hours. He was the only being in the world that had the power to bring her soul from the dead. The teen's gaze darkened as she glanced towards the rising sun. He had saved her once from death's clutches. Rin was positive he'd save her friend, if only at her request.

Inuyasha however did not share in her enthusiasm. Silver hair swayed with the wind as he closed in on his brother's scent. Sesshoumaru never really cared for Kagome. At some point she had managed to earn a bit of his respect, but nowhere near enough to justify saving her life. Rin would be his trump card. Though would Sesshoumaru's paternal love for his ward outweigh his bitter distaste for the miko that aided in the loss of his limb? The hanyou abruptly stopped. Just a few feet ahead of them was the demon lord himself.

Sesshoumaru eyed the unusual sight of Rin being carried upon his brother's back. His first reaction was to make a comment at the runt for daring to touch his ward, however the look of seriousness in their expressions stilled that response.

"Sesshoumaru-sama please," Rin dismounted from Inuyasha's back as she approached her guardian, "We need your help."

His lip gave a barely noticeable twitch. Great, just what he needed.

"What are you suggesting?" The taiyoukai pressed.

"It's Kagome-sama. She's dying." Amber eyes widened marginally in shock. That was not what he had expected.

"I was led to believe that the miko had returned to her own time period, was this incorrect?" Rin shook her head. She knew exactly what was coming. With a deep breath, she explained the situation.

"We don't know why or how, but the well's seal has been released. Kagome and many of her comrades from the future are now here." The deep silence that followed enhanced the feeling of discomfort amongst the trio. The taiyoukai's eyes stared unblinkingly at his ward. He was well aware that the girl would never willingly lie to him. So could it be some sort of imposter? Golden eyes dropped to the teen's hands. Buried beneath her fingernails were tiny blotches of human blood—and if memory served him correctly, it smelled uncannily similar to that particular miko. Could it really be true? Curiosity got the best of the dog demon.

"You said her comrades also came through the well." He turned his attention to Inuyasha, "What exactly did you mean by that?"

"It's a little hard to explain…" Rin began but was quickly cut off by Inuyasha.

"Who gives a damn about that! Are you going to help her or not!" Two pairs of molten eyes glowered fiercely at each other. The older of the two brothers stayed quiet for some time. He would have been lying to himself if he said that he wasn't curious. The shikon miko had valiantly returned to their era, but was so grievously injured that she was liable to die before they'd make it back? What exactly could have happened in her time to cause such a shift? Not only that but she had managed to bring back 'comrades' with her. This was very interesting indeed. If there was one thing that Sesshoumaru could be faulted for, it was his curiosity, and this would be no different. He'd save the girl, but only to satisfy that insatiable need.

"Take me to her."

* * *

Kagome awoke to the feeling of something heavy on her chest. With one good eye she glanced down at the crown of golden locks resting upon her bosom. It was Amaya.

"Taishou!" The girl cried heavily into the blood soaked shirt of their leader. "Don't go!"

The older priestess tried to speak but her mouth was far to dry to force any words out. Instead she opted to lift a weakened limb and rest her hand upon the girl's head. Amaya's tear-stained face shot up to look Kagome square in the eye.

"You're alive!" She shouted gleefully. Despite the tension between the two, Amaya truly respected and cared for Kagome. Said woman gingerly sat up from what was previously her death bed. She needn't to look far to see the source of her salvation.

Sesshoumaru stood a short distance away. His tesseiga was still drawn at his side. Without word, the miko moved and gave him a low bow. The pain in her ribs was still there, but it was a dull ache comparative to before.

"Thank you." She managed in a hoarse whisper.

Said dog simply sheathed his fang before giving her a once over. It was clear that she was still the same woman, but she had changed a great deal since the last time he had seen her. Weak appearance side, there was a ferocity in her one good eye that she lacked before. Only those who had experienced what it felt like to kill someone for the sake of protecting another could hold such a gleam. He nodded at her before turning on the ball of his heel. There was much he was still curious about, but for now he would give her time to heal. His questions would be saved for a later date.

As Kagome moved to stand up, Rin quickly went to her side and forced her to lay still.

"Your wounds still haven't completely healed!" The younger priestess admonished, "Even with the tesseiga's power your body hasn't had enough time to recover!"

The rest of the group crowded around their newly revived leader. They cried out cheerfully all around her. The shikon miko would've been lying to herself if she said that she didn't feel any happiness for their relief. Even now, it was clear as day how much they cared about her-and that warmed her heart in a way that she hadn't felt in a long time.

With a low sigh, Kagome stopped resisting the hands that were pushing her back onto the mat. The bandages that were wrapped around her form slid ever so slightly. Her arm instinctively came up to hold it in place. It was a strange feeling being back here in the feudal era. Though it was more pleasant than not. Amaya sat opposite from Rin by her leader's side. The tears from before had ceased but now just a small, happy smile was crossing the girl's face. Kagome was appreciative for that. That child needed all the happiness she could get, especially after Nori's recent passing.

"Alright everyone, I'm going to have to ask you to leave Kagome to rest. She'll need her strength. Miroku and Sango will help find you accommodations for the time that you are here." The dark haired teen piped up. With a quick shoo of the hand, most of the people left save for Souta and Amaya. The two refused to budge from their spots.

Rin sighed then smiled kindly at the two. It was quite clear that no matter what, they would stay by Kagome's side.

"Alright, I'll let you stay but only because you are so close with her." The teen's voice dropped and her eyes became dangerous, "But don't think I won't kick you out if you agitate her condition." A chill blew through the hut followed by shocked silence. Souta briefly wondered if that might've been the notorious 'killing stare' that he heard so much about? Either way he was grateful that he would be by his sister's side. For the first time in many years, he was able to relax.

* * *

Hatake rose silently. The light of dawn was beginning to rise behind him. The darkness of the sky slowly began to trickle away into tendrils of blue and purple light stretching outwards. Onyx eyes turned towards the now burning shrine. Black plumes of smoke filtered their way up to the clouds; marring the beauty of nature's pure light. It had been the last symbol of hope for the humans. Soon, the rest of the little vermin would be laying down their arms. He should have felt relieved, elated even, at the fact that this war had been won. But he didn't. No, instead all he felt was the grief that his entire goal had been slashed in a single moment and he didn't do a damn thing to stop it! A bloodied hand twitched ever so slightly. Why had he caved? A familiar pull in his chest reminded him of an ancient promise. He squeezed his eyes shut at the pain. Damn it! Of course that little _aspect_ of his tie to the shikon miko would rear it's ugly head.

"Are you satisfied?" Came a cool voice from behind him.

The fire youkai spared the newcomer a quick glance. Silver hair gleamed ominously in the dawn's growing light.

"What do you want Sesshoumaru?" He growled, his claws still twitching at his side. Of course the bastard would have intervened at one point. The dog and the priestess had been close allies at one point. It was merely a surprise that the taiyoukai hadn't gotten involved sooner. His gazed dropped to his wounds. They were superficial, but it'd be just enough of a disadvantage to still his hand from striking at the older inu. Even in this time period, Sesshoumaru was not a youkai to be trifled with.

Molten eyes narrowed at the scene before him, "Is this your pathetic excuse of revenge?"

The two glared at each other.

"I don't have to explain myself to the likes of you." Hatake moved to brush past him but the taiyoukai would have none of that.

"All of this and for what? A woman that's already dead?" The air around them rippled with rising power, "You had a chance to find out what _really_ happened. You could have stopped the cycle from even starting. You could still have had your mate with you." Suddenly, he found himself face to face with Sesshoumaru. "Instead you chose to squander your only opportunity. I must say, you've done a good job of eradicating the human species as a whole on this continent." The inu flicked his gaze between the elemental before him and the burning shrine, "So what will you do now? Wither away since you no longer have anything to focus your hatred on? Or is there something else you want to destroy?" The words hit him harder than Hatake would have cared to admit.

_"You must take caution child. Fire is an element capable of both creation and destruction. Choose your path wisely."_

The words that his father spoke to him many centuries ago rang loudly in his consciousness.

"Move aside." Hatake commanded coolly. Sesshoumaru arched a fine, silver brow but did not refuse. The dog did have one good point. What was he going to do now that his own hope had been lost in the battle? A tempest raged within his heart and mind. He needed to come up with a game plan and fast. It wouldn't be much longer now before the other clans would start to team up against them-particularly the two silver inu youkai.

With that thought in mind, the two parted in their paths.

* * *

Kagome gave an irritated sigh. It'd been a few days since they arrived and she was still stuck in bed. Souta gave a good-natured laugh. It'd been a while since he'd seen that expression on her face. It was quite hilarious. The young woman's normally war-stricken face was pulled in a rather childish pout.

"Can't I at least go outside for a few minutes?" Her voice was slightly higher pitched and came out as a pathetic plea.

Amaya tried hard not to laugh this time. It certainly wasn't like their leader to whine either.

"Absolutely not. Your body still has a long way to go before you're fully healed. The tesseiga can't fix everything you know!" Rin retorted crossly. Her hazel eyes pinned the older priestess with one of her guardian's notorious 'killing stares'.

"Yeah I know." Resigned, Kagome turned her gaze to Sango. The slayer had busied herself with the task of repairing Kagome's clothing. The Higurashi matriarch was quite adamant about keeping them, as she wanted nothing to do with the miko garb of this time period. Personally she didn't blame her. The memories of what the jewel did to her was probably constantly in the back of her mind.

Everyone was silent for a while but Kagome's mind kept reeling back to the war they had left behind. Was it all really started because of a hatred for humans? Or could it have been something much more personal? Her cobalt eye narrowed at the thought. Hatake... What exactly did that man really want from her? The image of his onyx eyes bearing down on her hatefully involuntarily conjured itself up in the recesses of her subconscious. Her face fell into a deep scowl. It was clear he wanted her dead, but to demand that he do so personally? That spoke of a much greater sin against the youkai. From what she knew about the demon community, they were quite stingy about their rules. There were many complex traditions about war and even mating. A youkai staking a claim on another's life like that would have required a very serious offense to have occurred. So why her personally? Could he that offended by her power and lineage as a human to warrant such a reaction? Rage rose within her.

"Sango, might I borrow your needle and thread?" Said woman glanced up in confusion.

"Sure, but what do you need it for? I'm almost done here."

Kagome shook her head, "No, not for that." Her hand fluidly pulled the cloth that covered her blind eye from her face. The slayer stilled her gasp. "Just wanted to stitch something onto here is all." Sango nodded, blinking away tears at the sight of the unseemly scars. Souta's explanation replayed itself over and over again in her mind. How much pain did their friend have to go through? It appeared that no matter which time period she was in, Kagome could never truly escape the suffering that the Shikon heaped upon her.

Scarlet thread dangled over the dark-haired miko's legs as she went to work on the cloth. This was an act of defiance, a declaration of her intentions, to be honest. Despite her desire to stay, Kagome wasn't a fool. Sooner or later she'd have to return to finish the war that Hatake started. Otherwise the future would remain lost to tragedy. Her gaze drifted to her brother and Amaya. If things went well, then those two would never see the field of another battle again. When she was done, Kagome handed the objects back to their original owner. She took a second to glance over her handiwork and smiled. At the bottom curve of the cloth, the symbol for 'human' was stitched in crimson. She rubbed her thumb over the ridge that the new addition made to her cover. It'd be a reminder of her past and her future. No matter where she went she would never forget the sacrifices they had to make to get here in the first place.

Souta looked at his sister intently. An almost inexplicable sense of pride filled him at the sight of the symbol. He fidgeted with his sleeve, smiling at the Banken's icon sewn into his sleeve. Even if they lived out their entire lives here in the feudal era, he guessed that there would always been that sense of unity that being apart of the Banken brought.

Amaya dropped her own gaze to her lap. She folded her hands together and stared silently. The teen's face was pinched in an unreadable expression. She was happy. She truly was, but something was bothering her.

_"You were born into this. Just as I was."_

What did she mean by that? There were so many thing left unanswered. The blonde glanced up at Kagome once more. She wanted to ask. She really did, but the words wouldn't come out. It was then that she realized that she was afraid. The girl's chin trembled with barely concealed tears. She didn't _want_ to know the reason why their leader was so good at dealing with youkai. The miko-in-training suspected that it had something to do with this time period. That thought alone was enough to make her heart skip. There would be more youkai. There would be more bloodshed.

A hand gently fell on top of her head.

"I think we need to gather the others." Kagome smiled softly at her protege. "An explanation is in order." Amaya nodded numbly, though her heart thundered beneath her chest in panic. She didn't want to know. She didn't want to fight.

Souta silently left the hut to gather the rest of their group. Within a few minutes the last remnants of their little clan rested uneasily in Rin's tiny little hut. Kagome's cobalt eye shifted between their nervous expressions. This would most definitely be unpleasant.

"I haven't been entirely honest with you." The shikon miko began slowly. Takeshi shot her a severe glare as he crossed his thick, scar worn arms over his chest. Of course not otherwise they wouldn't have made it here in the first place. "This place is still Tokyo, but five hundred years in the past." There were silent whispers amongst the group. That had heard this part from Miroku before, however the man had ushered them into their new quarters without explaining much else.

Kagome then went on to explain about her trips through the well and the shikon, stopping only as they reached the final battle of the story. She pulled at the cloth of the blanket over her legs.

"It was then that Naraku was absorbed within the jewel." She looked each of her comrades dead in the eyes, "It attempted to seal me within as well. Instead I took the last of my strength to purify it. With the jewel purified, I was able to absorb it back within myself."

"But how did you do that?" Isamu queried, cocking his head to the side. How would one go about trying to imprison an inanimate object within themselves?

Kagome gave a wry smile, "I swallowed it." There was a collective cringe. The teen began to wish that he had never asked.

"I didn't have much time to reseal it before I was pulled back through the well." She cringe at the memory of being violently yanked through the portal by some unseen force, "The well had sealed itself therefore I had been unable to pass through it again until a few days ago." Her brows knitted together, "I'd be lying if I said I knew why the well decided to work again, but I'm grateful all the same." Still, there was something that was bothering her. Why _had_ the well ceased to function? And why did it only allow them access _now_? The miko fought the urge to sigh. This was still so jarring. Judging by the animated whispers amongst the group, the others thought so as well.

"Why the hell didn't you tell us about this before!" Takeshi bellowed fiercely. He stood to his feet and towered over their taishou's weakened form. "Why did you have to keep all this a secret from us! We're your comrades!" Out of all of them, he was the most passionate. Built like a ox and as stubborn as one to boot. Takeshi was always there whenever she needed him to be. However was never the type to censor himself, thus his mouth often landed him in more dangerous situations than necessary.

"Sit down!" Kagome commanded with the same amount of ferocity, "You can be as angry with me as you please, but I did what I had to! Besides, I never told any of you because I didn't want to give you false hope!" Silence deadened the hut. Even wrapped head to toe in bandages, the anger surrounding their leader now subdued the group in an fearful silence. Many had seen her fury enough times to know not to mess with her even when injured.

Rin averted her eyes from the scene. The tension was beginning to become unbearable. However she knew that it was not her place to interfere.

"What would've been the point of telling you about a time period where you could never go?" Kagome made a move to stand, "Do you have any idea how unbelievably cruel that would have been?" Takeshi backed away from their leader. He lowered his head, looking away from the ferocious stare she was giving him.

Shika grabbed the bulky man by the back of his neck. The brunette yanked back, forcing him to fall back on his ass. He gave a startled yelp but did not say another word. As feisty as ever, Shika was the burly man's foil. She could be just as brash, but she often was able to keep her cool unlike her male companion. Shika was also the first to put him in line. She had no problem breaking a bone or two to get her point across.

"Taishou," An older woman started. Gray, wispy hair fell into her matching eyes as she slowly made her way over to the young priestess. "Thank you." She whispered before giving a low bow.

"Sayuri..." Kagome began. It was unusual for her to say anything during meetings such as this. Before Ranshin invaded their group, Sayuri had been their doctor to aid and heal their wounds. She had been a nurse throughout much of her life. The aging woman had no interest in battle or conflict, so she often remained silent in the background. Through her silent and hunched form, Kagome could see the fragile heart that lurked within her.

Sayuri shook her head, "I'm glad that you chose not to tell us." The elder turned her attention to the two wailing children of their group. "What would have become of these young ones had you filled us with a false sense of security?" The infants, Haru and Natsuki, cried their fears out as Kotone attempted to soothe them. The children buried themselves in the cocoon of the woman's arms. They were barely a couple of years old. Their mother, Ayano, had died in their escape to this time period. She had thrown herself over the children as a wolf of the gunken clan attempted to devour them. She had taken the hit meant for her children. Their lives had been spared but they were left in this unknown world without the parental guidance they so desperately needed. It was Shika that had noticed them as she was making her escape. So the hanyou had snatched up the children before any more harm could befall them.

"We will discuss more later," Sayuri stated with more finality in her voice than any of them were used to hearing, "In the mean time our taishou needs her rest." Withered hands motioned for the members to follow her, "Come. The village is in need of assistance in the fields." The men groaned in unison. Ever since they got here, all they did was help out in the fields while the women would remain within the confines of the village. The group slowly filed out of the hut, leaving just Amaya, Kagome and Rin. The trio remained in silence.

The blonde's hands couldn't stop shaking. Did all of this mean that she'd still have to continue down the path of becoming a priestess? She attempted to shake the thoughts from her head. Why was so she so afraid of this?

_"Promise me!"_

She shut her cerulean eyes at the image of her father's bloodied body lying limp in the snow. Even now, she could feel the sickening warmth of his blood on her hands. Death. It surrounded her. The fourteen-year-old's chest grew heavy and the air became thick. Sharp, needle like pain started to spread across her ribcage. Amaya wrapped her arms around her torso and attempted to breathe.

_"Oh-ho! Looks like you've got a traitor for a daughter!" Emerald eyes glowed eerily in the winter's night. Crimson soaked snow caved beneath the girl's foot._

"AMAYA!" Said girl was shaken out of her trance by the harsh sting of something hitting her face. "Snap out of it!" When she came to, the girl found Kagome sitting in front of her, hands clasped tightly over her shoulders.

The older of the mikos sighed in relief. Without warning, she pulled the traumatized girl into her arms. It was rare for their leader to show such affection. The blonde's eyes teared up before tilting her head and crying into the shoulder of her teacher. Why now? Why did she have to keep thinking about that?

"You don't have to be a priestess here you know." Kagome finally spoke up when Amaya's sobs quieted. Her head shot up to look up at the young woman in shock. "You _have_ the choice here Amaya. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Not even me." The nearly permanent battle worn expression she always worn melted ever so slightly into a kind smile. "Get some rest. You need it." The blonde did as she was told.

**A/n:** Whoo. Didn't think I'd ever get this finished! Anyways, I'm actually pretty happy with how things ended so far. Though I did want to add a few more things but oh well. I'll just push them over to the next chapter. ;P Thoughts? Feelings? I'm slowly trying to introduce the rest of the Banken while developing the characters already shown, so hopefully I can get the pace just right here. Let me know if you have any more questions! Thanks so much for reading! I really appreciate it!


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